Milwaukee Bucks superstar power forward Giannis Antetokounmpohas been the biggest figure in the trade rumor millheading into Thursday’s trade deadline, but another Eastern Conference Central Division franchise could be on the verge of pulling off a massive player swap.
Late Monday night, NBA reporterKelly Iko of Yahoo Sports reported that the Cleveland Cavaliers have been in discussions with the Los Angeles Clippers for a potential James Hardentrade.
In the days leading up to Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, the Los Angeles Clippers have engaged in discussions surrounding veteran guard James Harden — with the Cleveland Cavaliers at the forefront of teams that have recently expressed interest in acquiring the former All-Star — sources told Yahoo Sports.
Milwaukee division rivals could land Harden via a trade before deadline
Harden has missed the last two Clippers games due to an unspecified personal reason, and it now seems that he may have something to do with a potential trade that Los Angeles is cooking up.
Harden’s best days in the NBA are now behind him, but he is still better than most players today. So far in the 2025-26 NBA regular season, the former NBA Most Valuable Player is averaging 25.4 points, 8.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game, though he is only shooting 41.9 percent from the field.
Garland is also reportedly the player the Cavs could give up for Harden. Garland is just 26 years old, while Harden is already 36, so this is a long-term play for the Clippers, but they can still make a run for the NBA Players with a duo of Garland and Kawhi Leonard.
While most eyes are on the Bucks and Antetokounmpo heading into the trade deadline, the Clippers and the Cavs could end up authoring the biggest transaction by Thursday.
Jan 25, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Clippers guard Harden (1) shoots the ball in the first half against Milwaukee at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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