Kawhi Leonard Sounds Off on James Harden, Darius Garland on Video After Clippers' Loss to Cavs

Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard reiterated his support for James Harden following Harden's trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Cavs and Clippers played Wednesday night, with Cleveland coming away a 124-91 winner. After the game, Leonard called Harden "a great teammate" and said he wishes the 11-time All-Star well moving forward:

Harden didn't suit up against his old team, while newly minted Clippers guard Darius Garland is still nursing a toe injury. Both teams are still waiting to see the full impact of the transaction.

Leonard is looking forward to what Garland will bring on the court:

For Los Angeles, swapping Harden for Garland isn't a complete steal without any risk.

Garland has logged 70-plus appearances just once since entering the NBA in 2019, and at 6'1", he's an undersized guard who's bound to be frequently targeted on defense in a playoff series.

But the Clippers got a lot younger by acquiring the 26-year-old, and they no longer have to worry about whether Harden will opt in to his $42.3 million salary for 2026-27 or demand a multiyear payout.

Wednesday's loss is a possible peek into the team's short-term future. Leonard finished with 25 points, seven rebounds and four assists, and his solid outing had little impact on the final score.

Cavaliers-Clippers Full Highlights

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Replacing Harden with Garland made L.A. a little worse.

Kawhi isn't getting any younger. He'll turn 35 in June, and he'd presumably prefer the Clippers not resign themselves to missing the playoffs or an early exit should they qualify for the postseason.

Perhaps the front office sold him on the idea that trading Harden is taking one step back to make two steps forward in the future.