Cavs, Clippers Updated Rosters, Salary Cap After Reported James Harden Trade
The Los Angeles Clippers traded former MVP James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday in exchange for Darius Garland and a second-round draft pick, per ESPN's Shams Charania.
Here's a look at the updated rosters for the two squads after the blockbuster trade.
Cleveland Cavaliers
- PG: James Harden, Dennis Schrรถder, Craig Porter Jr., Lonzo Ball
- SG: Donovan Mitchell, Sam Merrill, Keon Ellis, Tyrese Proctor
- SF: Jaylon Tyson, Dean Wade
- PF: Evan Mobley, Nae'Qwan Tomlin,
- C: Jarrett Allen, Thomas Bryant, Larry Nance Jr.
Los Angeles Clippers
Garland, 26, was originally the No. 5 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft out of Vanderbilt, and he spent his first five NBA seasons as a member of the Cavs.
After showing what he was capable of over his first two seasons, Garland truly broke out during the 2021-22 campaign, as he was named an All-Star and finished third in the NBA Most Improved Player Award voting.
Garland averaged a career-high 21.7 points, 8.6 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 2.6 three-pointers made and 1.3 steals per game that season, while shooting 46.2 percent from the field and 38.3 percent from beyond the arc.
Following the 2021-22 season, the Cavaliers made a huge splash on the trade market, acquiring perennial All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz in hopes that he and Garland could form one of the best backcourts in the NBA.
In two seasons together, Mitchell and Garland led the Cavs to the playoffs twice and they reached the second round last season, but Garland's production undoubtedly took a hit once Mitchell arrived.
Garland's stats dropped off only slightly in 2022-23 when he averaged 21.6 points, 7.8 assists, 2.7 rebounds, 2.4 three-pointers made and 1.2 steals per game, but the drop-off was much sharper last season.
In addition to missing 25 games due to injury, Garland averaged only 18.0 points, 6.5 assists, 2.7 rebounds, 2.3 three-pointers made and 1.3 steals per contest, which were his worst numbers since 2020-21.
The Cavs signed Garland to a five-year, $197.23 million contract extension in 2022, but they followed it up by signing Mitchell to a three-year, $150.32 million extension prior to the 2024-25 season.
There were already whispers about the Cavaliers potentially needing to make a change due to the overlap in the skill sets of Mitchell and Garland, and they got louder once Cleveland made a multi-year commitment to Mitchell.
However, Garland bounced back and returned to his All-Star form during the 2024-25 campaign, averaging 20.6 points, 6.7 assists, 2.9 rebounds, 2.8 three-pointers made and 1.2 steals per game.
By sending Garland to the Clippers, the Cavs lose a talented, high-ceiling player, but they also create the opportunity to be more versatile as a team.
Given where the Cavs are in the standings and their championship aspirations, a Garland trade only made sense if it could land them another star.
That is the case with Cleveland trading him to the Clippers in exchange for Harden, which is a move that could help the Cavs now, but may prove to be far better for the Clippers in the long term.
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