The Cleveland Cavaliers are officially 2-0 in the James Harden era. That's despite the fact that he's had little to no time to practice with his new teammates, although he's more than familiar with Donovan Mitchell.
Both of them are Adidas athletes, so they've worked out together for years. They might've also been in close touch from the second the trade became official, so they must know each other's preferences on the court pretty well.
However, they're not going to be on the court together as much as some fans would want them to. According to NBA analyst Zach Lowe and the latest edition of his podcast, they will most likely stagger their minutes on the court.
Kenny Atkinson's plan for Donovan Mitchell and James Harden makes perfect sense
"It's gonna be interesting to see the dynamic between him and Mitchell," Lowe said."I think he's gonna understand like, 'hey man, when Mitchell's on the floor, it's his offense.'"
By adding Harden to the mix, the Cavs now officially have another elite three-level scorer on the roster. As such, they can afford to have either him or Mitchell on the floor at all times while the other gets a breather.
Harden is a much better playmaker than Darius Garland. He's a master of the pick-and-roll, and his ability to draw contact and go to the line was second to none in the league for years. Then, when he sits, Mitchell can take over.
This way, opposing teams will have to keep one of their best defenders on the court at all times, and that's inevitably going to wear them out. They have two guys who can drop 30 on any given night and score in a variety of ways.
In close games, both of them can be well-rested and in a rhythm when it matters the most. We already saw a glimpse of that when they dropped 15 points apiece in the fourth quarter of the comeback win over the Sacramento Kings.
Moreover, this will also help the Cavs be better on defense. Having Mitchell and Garland on the court at the same time left the team exposed way too many times in the past, and that shouldn't be the case if Mitchell is out there while Harden is resting or vice versa.
Of course, these are the team's best players and scorers, and they will be the closers. Everything they do will run through them and their offense will revolve around their skills. They just won't be together as often as Garland and Mitchell were for all these years.