There are trades that definitively shape futures and there are trades enveloped in uncertainty. When the Clippers sent James Harden to the Cavaliers for Darius Garland and a second-round pick, it was far more than just another deadline deal. It was a collision of narrative arcs, incentive timetables, and the unrelenting pursuit of a title that has eluded both player and team.
Needless to say, Harden heads to the Cavaliers with an impressive resume. That said, it is likewise incomplete. He may be an 11-time All-Star and one-time Most Valuable Player awardee, but he has yet to wrap his arms around the Larry O’ Brien Trophy. In fact, his reputation, not exactly undeserved, has been tainted by early playoff exits and abbreviated stints; each stop is laced with controversy, feeding into a recurring theme. He seems to leave before long for whatever reason, complicating his legacy.
To be fair, the Cavaliers understand the stakes, enough, at least, to accept the baggage that comes with Harden. Hitherto built around their core four that included Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen, they found themselves at a crossroads and questioning the soundness of their future. Garland, once an embodiment of continuity, had battled injuries and inconsistent play. And the result was decidedly in the negative. The offense of the wine and gold, previously elite, had flagged too often for comfort, and the specter of another early postseason exit loomed large.
Trading Garland for Harden signified, for the most part, the Cavaliers’ intent to go all in for the near term. Prior to the player swap, Mitchell’s status was a question mark at best. After getting a name he figures to share equal billing with on the marquee, however, he may well be motivated to stay. A lot will depend on how well they do in the next five months, of course, but now they have a chance. If nothing else, they get to maximize their current window with a proven ball-handling creator who can take pressure off their resident superstar’s shoulders.
Meanwhile, the trade defines the horizon from the Clippers’ vantage point. In a play-in fight out West, they had wrestled with roster construction, salary elasticity, and the reality that their championship window with Kawhi Leonard and Harden was much narrower than expected. Garland, a decade younger and under contract for multiple seasons, gives them a potential long-term cornerstone as they transition to what comes next. Linking him with Ivica Zubac and John Collins is tantamount to betting on time.
In the ruthless arithmetic of the National Basketball Association (NBA), hope is volatile currency. The Cavaliers just chose to spend it all. The Clippers, meanwhile, recalibrate with youth. And for Harden, the next chapter begins with the same question he has faced before: Is he finally home? The answer is anybody’s guess.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
