For Cleveland Cavaliers fans feeling salty about Darius Garland's departure, fret not. The Cavs just upgraded at the guard position by swapping out Garland for James Harden.
Late on Tuesday night, Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor did as astute a job as anyone of covering the reasons why Harden is a better option for Cleveland than Garland.
Kevin O'Connor spells out benefits of James Harden trade for Cavs
Garland's recurring durability concerns had everyone in Cleveland at the end of their wits, according to O'Connor. But this trade was a win for the Cavs due to Harden's positive qualities, not just what Garland lacks.
Outside of being more durable than Garland, Harden is a better creator and playmaker with the ball in his hands than Darius, something that will fit better alongside Donovan Mitchell, who will now be freer to zero in on a killer role as a cold-blooded scorer.
For those expecting Mitchell's usage or scoring average to drop substantially, you might want to reconsider. Not only is Harden a gifted passer, but he'll also be a far more willing Robin to Mitchell's Batman than most people are realizing.
As O'Connor pointed out, Harden has shown the capacity to play second fiddle at different points throughout his entire career. He did it in Brooklyn. He's done it in LA whenever Kawhi was healthy.
Let's also remember that Harden's NBA career began in the shadows of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, even though some people thought then (including the author of this piece) that Harden was a more talented offensive player than Westbrook.
Harden's one-man offense in Houston may have given some fans a bad taste in their mouths as to his mindset about team basketball, but that's not the entire story of James's career, far from it.
Harden is going to create easier shots for Mitchell, as well as for Cleveland's twin towers of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. While Garland was an elite, All-Star-level playmaker for Cleveland, Harden is a Hall of Fame-level playmaker.
O'Connor didn't shy away from acknowledging Harden's collection of playoff game stinkers, but let's be clear here: At least Harden has been durable enough to show up for those big games and do battle. That's more than Garland's given Cleveland of late.
Speaking of the postseason, O'Connor made the excellent point that the NBA game slows down in the playoffs. This is where Harden's addition to the Cavs will make all the difference. He thrives in half-court offense, as he's shown his entire career -- pick-and-roll, isolation, you name it.
Moreover, Harden has the postseason experience and aforementioned battle scars that will only add strength to the psyche of Cleveland's locker room. Harden is likely dying to win a championship, and he'll bring that mindset to the Cavaliers.
In a weird way, this outlook of Harden's makes up for his advanced age as compared with Garland's, and maybe even stands to be an advantage for a Cavs team operating within a two or three-year window at the moment.
"This was an undeniable upgrade for the Cavaliers," O'Connor asserted. And it's hard to disagree.