Tuesday has more than made up for what was previously a quiet Trade Season in the NBA. The most recent blockbuster deal has the Los Angeles Clippers trading James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Darius Garland and a second-round pick, ESPN's Shams Charania reports.
Our early reaction is that this is a lose-lose deal. Harden is a short-term upgrade over Garland, but he has a closing window at 36 years old. That upgrade isn't drastic enough for the Cavs to truly contend -- not when Harden has a track record of falling short in the postseason, and they have to win four games against whoever comes out of the Western Conference.
We like this trade even less for the Clippers.
Blazers now have realistic path to playoffs after Clippers trade James Harden
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Sure, they managed to swap stars for one who is a decade younger and pick up draft capital in the process. But Garland is unfortunately injury-prone, as he's only recorded 26 games this season. Combine that with his defensive limitations as an undersized guard, and it's suddenly difficult to justify a $39.4 million contract.
This trade is also bad timing for a Clippers team that was finally gaining momentum. They overcame a brutal start to the season to win 10 of their last 13 games, placing them firmly in the playoff conversation in a stacked Western Conference. But the downgrade from Harden to Garland could be the very thing that derails that progress. The margin for error is thin out west, and this could give another team like the Portland Trail Blazers an opportunity to steal a playoff spot.
The Golden State Warriors sit 8th in the West standings with a 27-23 record, but recently lost Jimmy Butler to a season-ending injury. The Clippers are 9th at 23-26, but just traded one of their best players at an inopportune time. Even the 11th-place Memphis Grizzlies are selling at the deadline with their blockbuster Jaren Jackson Jr. trade with the Utah Jazz.
The Blazers [still have to catch up](https://ripcityproject.com/blazers-are-quietly-sneaking-up-on-the-rest-of-the-western-conference-01kfxfzy254j) as they currently sit 10th at 23-27. However, they have many factors working in their favor that make an end-of-season playoff push realistic. Their schedule is lightening up, players are getting healthier, and most significantly, they're [upgrading their roster](https://ripcityproject.com/blazers-just-made-their-deadline-plans-crystal-clear-with-surprise-trade-vit-krejci-picks-deadline-rumors) at the deadline.
Out of this tier of teams, Portland is the only one truly trending upward. After Butler's injury, it appeared that the Clippers would be the only team standing in their way. But by downgrading from Harden to Garland, Portland's playoff path suddenly doesn't seem so daunting.