It is official! James Harden has been traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland and a second-round pick. This seemed too good to be true at the moment, with Garland being a decade younger, yet manifestation has worked, as the two-time All-Star will be on the next flight to Inglewood, California.
BREAKING: The Los Angeles Clippers are trading James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland and a second-round pick, sources tell ESPN. Prolific swap of the star point guards. pic.twitter.com/IHhhhabJnX
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 4, 2026
This trade is not just any ordinary blockbuster trade; it resembles the front office executing a plan to bring in the first legitimate, young point guard since Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who fans love dearly. The fans have been wanting someone like Garland for years, but with barely any assets to make it happen, it was impossible.
Additionally, Garland has already gone through the struggles of development. He joins the Clippers just before his prime, ready to make an impact, then grab the keys from the counter for the future once Kawhi Leonard has aged out.
Thus, Garland to LA is a perfect scenario all around. The fans pleaded, and they were granted their wish, as the Clippers finally have some youth to rely on.
The LA Clippers’ young core has gained much-needed life with Darius Garland
Age-wise, Darius Garland is already a multi-time All-Star and has not felt what it is like to be a star in their prime. He is just 26, the same age as Jordan Miller, and has transformed the LA Clippers from the oldest team in the league into one with a future that is slowly coming together.
Garland could also have a solid supporting cast with him once the Kawhi Leonard era has expired. Miller is surely not going anywhere, Kobe Sanders and Yanic Konan Niederhauser flashed quality potential, and the best might still be in store.
The Clippers will take an unorthodox route through a rebuild. Teams tend to use draft capital to work their way up, but the Clippers have the ultimate key to speeding up the process: money.
Similar to Garland, the front office will hunt for other young stars who are already developed and sign them to team-friendly deals.
Therefore, additional years will not be spent on growth, and once Leonard departs, the Clippers will still be playoff contenders.
That said, the trade for Garland is a bright new chapter and a great example of why Lawrence Frank was extended. He proved his 2020 Executive of the Year award is not in his showcase for nothing, as the fans will soon see a young scoring machine take LA to new heights.