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Ramona Shelburne
Multiple Authors
TYRONN LUE SMILED upon seeing James Harden at the LA Clippers’ training facility on Tuesday afternoon. This was just hours before the organization finalized the trade of the 36-year-old, 11-time All-Star to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Darius Garland and a second-round pick.
Those present, including Harden, were aware the trade was on the horizon. Yet, he was there, clad in Clippers gear, receiving treatment from the training staff and engaging in a workout with teammates.
“Typically, when trades happen, it doesn’t unfold like that,” Lue remarked to ESPN. “But we all love James. … I walked over to the training table and started joking with him, saying, ‘You weird.’ That’s his go-to word. Weird. And he just laughed.
“We’ll all miss him—not just his skills, but his character.”
Unlike previous dramatic departures, this trade was amicable. There was no demand for a trade or prolonged uncertainty, unlike his exits from Houston, Brooklyn, or Philadelphia.
Before leaving the facility that Tuesday, Harden took the time to bid farewell to several staff members and players.
This parting was not only a shared recognition of circumstances but also a broader acknowledgment. Both Harden and the team understood that their impressive run—where the Clippers emerged as the NBA’s hottest team since Christmas, winning 71% of their games—was likely unsustainable. This marked the effective end of the Clippers era, which commenced in 2019 with Kawhi Leonard’s free-agent signing followed by Paul’s trade.
Harden was the last significant addition.
During his time with the Clippers, Harden appeared in 72 and 79 games, and played 44 of the first 47 games this season before sidelining himself for two games amidst trade talks. He was meant to buffer the team’s fragility surrounding George and Leonard. but, much like his tenure with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn, this trio struggled to stay healthy and available.
As it stands, Leonard, arguably the most fragile of the group, is the remaining player in Los Angeles.
“You need some luck in this league,” Leonard stated on Wednesday night. “Luck with shots, with injuries, with everything. It just didn’t unfold as we hoped. I wanted to make it one more run, but that didn’t happen, so here we are.”
When asked whether this era felt incomplete following their recent success, Leonard hesitated.
“From the expectations we had? … It’s over,” he replied. “Guys are gone.”
THE BEGINNING OF the end of Harden’s stint with the Clippers can be traced back to the summer, when the team conveyed to Harden that they were uncomfortable guaranteeing him more than the $39.2 million he was set to earn this season, given his age (36) and their desire for financial flexibility moving forward.
Harden felt he had proven himself as an All-Star, as reported by sources close to him, after averaging 22.8 points, 8.7 assists, and 5.8 rebounds, earning a third-team All-NBA selection. He believed he deserved an extension akin to the two-year, $111 million deal awarded to Jimmy Butler, who is the same age as Harden.
even with this, Harden was eager to stay in Los Angeles and felt the Clippers had the talent to compete. As a result, he accepted a contract with only $13.8 million of the $42.3 million he was scheduled to earn in the second year guaranteed.
He assumed if the team performed well, they would likely honor the full amount. The deal featured a player option along with the ability to veto any trade as a safeguard.
but, the team struggled significantly both on and off the court. Facing allegations of salary cap circumvention from the Aspiration scandal, the franchise suffered further self-inflicted wounds from a fallout with franchise icon Chris Paul.
As losses piled up, the pressure intensified. On Dec. 20, the Clippers stood at 6-21, tied with the Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers, only ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans and Washington Wizards.
It was at this juncture, sources involved in negotiations indicate, that teams across the league began inquiring about their three key players—Harden, Leonard, and center Ivica Zubac, who was traded to the Pacers for former lottery pick Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, and two first-round selections on Thursday.
Concurrently, Harden’s representatives explored which teams might be interested in his acquisition, aiming to stay ahead of impending trade talks.
Sources say Harden was particularly interested in reuniting with the Houston Rockets, a logical fit since their point guard Fred VanVleet had torn his ACL earlier in the season. but, the Rockets showed little inclination to bring back their former MVP.
but, the Cleveland Cavaliers expressed interest in how Harden could elevate their standout big men, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, while alleviating some pressure from star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell.
While discussions between the teams started to soften as Harden and the Clippers attempted to salvage their season, the Cavaliers also assessed whether their roster was championship-worthy.
Eventually, reality set in for both sides: the Clippers were unable to compete, and the Cavaliers didn’t possess a roster poised for a title run.
LATE LAST WEEK, as the trade deadline approached, negotiations between the teams accelerated, sources report. Harden missed a game in Phoenix on Sunday and another against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday amid intensified discussions.
Officially, the team classified Harden as out for personal reasons—a typical method for managing impending trades. but, this inadvertently hinted to the league that he was available despite the Clippers’ recent success.
This became more apparent when Harden was spotted on the sidelines at Arizona State, where he attended a matchup against No. 1 Arizona on Saturday night, conveniently near where his teammates were set to face the Suns the following evening without him.
By Monday, speculation around the league was rampant regarding Harden’s unexpected emergence in the trade discussion, creating an unusual atmosphere at Monday’s game in Los Angeles.
Players from both the Clippers and 76ers were overheard discussing the possibility of a trade involving Harden before the deadline. When news of discussions with Cleveland broke during the game, it led to even more open conversations on the court.
This wasn’t the sole topic of discussion, though. Following a prolonged period of silence, interest in the NBA’s investigation into whether the Clippers circumvented the salary cap due to Leonard’s endorsement deal with former sponsor Aspiration had been rekindled.
While sources close to Harden insist that the investigation’s potential consequences did not influence his acceptance of the trade, the widespread interest in the investigation’s outcome has been impossible to overlook.
By Tuesday, Harden was aware that the trade was likely to materialize and concluded that he would not veto it when the time came.
“It was the right decision for both sides,” Harden relayed to ESPN. “I didn’t want to impede the Clippers’ future. I wanted them to have a chance to rebuild and gain some draft assets.
“In Cleveland, I see a chance to succeed in the East. They have a formidable team and coaching staff. So, while I wished to remain in L.A. and give it a go—I’ve never clinched a championship before. In terms of basketball strategy, I believe I have a better opportunity here.”
Harden reflected that he would always ponder what could have transpired in L.A. if Leonard and George had remained healthy during the playoffs.
“In life, as in basketball, when things don’t pan out, there are ways to conclude relationships without animosity,” Harden mused. “Perhaps we just don’t envision a future together. Maybe we’ve simply outgrown one another.”
in the end, Harden perceived a more promising future in Cleveland while the Clippers envisioned a brighter path ahead with Garland, a 26-year-old two-time All-Star. The Cavaliers recognized that their own journey needed to commence without delay.
