CLEVELAND, Ohio — The trade for James Harden didn’t just add another All-Star to Cleveland’s roster – it fundamentally transformed the Cavaliers’ entire organizational mindset overnight.
On the latest Wine and Gold Talk podcast, cleveland.com columnist Jimmy Watkins explained how the arrival of James Harden has dramatically accelerated Cleveland’s championship timeline.
“The timeline has been accelerated. James Harden said in his post-game, like we all know why I’m here. It’s championship. Chris has been saying finals or bust. I think it’s championship or bust,” Watkins said. “Obviously, Finals would be a huge step for this team. But Donovan has been talking openly about how this could be James’ last chance.”
The stakes couldn’t be higher for Harden personally. Despite being a top-75 all-time player, future Hall of Famer and former MVP, the 34-year-old guard has never won a championship as the primary engine of a team. This reality has shaped both the Cavaliers’ approach and Harden’s mindset entering this partnership.
What makes this situation different from previous moves is how openly and consistently the championship expectations are being communicated throughout the organization. It’s not just media speculation or fan hope – it’s coming directly from the players, coaches, and front office.
Podcast host Ethan Sands emphasized that this mentality extends beyond just Mitchell and Harden: “Koby Altman has said it. They’re going for it. There have been multiple people inside the organization that have said that this is the year. This is what they want. Because they’ve been saying it and now they’ve made the moves to actually do it on the court and back it up.”
The acquisition of Harden, along with Dennis Schröder and Keon Ellis, has infused the roster with veteran players who share a singular focus on winning. The team’s energy and attitude have noticeably shifted, with the new additions bringing what Sands described as “dog mentality” to complement Cleveland’s existing core.
“Dennis Schröder’s grown, James Harden 10 years older than Darius Garland. Keon Ellis still early into the league, but has the mindset of wanting to win,” Sands noted, highlighting the maturity and championship focus the new acquisitions have brought.
Perhaps most telling is how quickly the team has moved past making excuses. Where earlier in the season, struggles might have been attributed to injuries or absences, the current Cavs are taking ownership of their performances regardless of circumstance.
“It was excuses and we’re not hearing those anymore, right?” Sands observed. “It’s not, oh, we gotta wait till Dean Wade’s back ... We got to wait until Darius gets back for our offense to get going. We haven’t heard those. Because they’ve been winning and figuring it out and winning ugly.”
The podcast made clear that this championship-or-bust mentality isn’t just bluster – it’s a calculated organizational decision. With Mitchell’s future beyond 2025 uncertain and Harden potentially entering the final act of his career, Cleveland recognized its window might be shorter than originally planned.
Whether the Cavaliers can live up to these newly heightened expectations remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the days of patience and gradual building in Cleveland are over. The time is now.
Here’s the podcast for this week: