Up until the Eastern Conference Finals, fans of the Cleveland Cavaliers had been celebrating the trade for James Harden. He helped the city of Cleveland see a sight in the playoffs they hadn’t seen since LeBron James was a member of the team. That feels like forever ago, and in half a season, Harden made it happen.
However, the tables have turned over the course of a series, as Cleveland got swept following a 37-point loss to the New York Knicks. And, because Harden is the guy everyone has their fingers pointed at, considering he had just two made baskets and five turnovers, Cavaliers fans can agree with Clipper Nation that LA won by taking on the decade-younger Darius Garland.
What’s done is done, though, and all Cleveland can do now is sit in regret, wishing they never okay’d a package involving the 26-year-old, two-time All-Star.
The Cavaliers would’ve at least put up a fight with Darius Garland
With James Harden being the newest member of Cancun, and the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 2025-26 season officially said and done, the LA Clippers can proudly say they won the blockbuster deal involving the former MVP. In fact, at the moment, the Clippers are probably smiling ear to ear.
As unfathomable as it is, the Clippers really received a young, top-ten point guard in the league, who, as most know, has the peak of his career ahead of him, which will also last quite a while, and a second-round pick in the 2026 draft, for an aging, 36-year-old superstar that has endless concerns about showing up in the playoffs.
The worst part for Cleveland is that he lived up to his name when the lights turned bright and ultimately gave Cavaliers fans a performance they won’t be forgetting any time soon.
Now, had Garland been in the picture instead of Harden, the Cavaliers may have gotten somewhere further than the opposite end of a sweep.
Sure, he, too, possesses some postseason doubt, but even at his worst, Garland still manages to contribute in some shape or form.
In the elimination game against the New York Knicks, Harden attempted only eight shots, which signals little aggression, and dished out a whopping two assists; this is practically the bare minimum a borderline $40 million basketball player can bring to the table.
Garland is certainly doing more, which has to hurt fans of the Cavaliers, as Cleveland had him and went out of their way to trade him.
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