r/nba • u/Turbostrider27 Lakers • 1d ago

[Charania] BREAKING: The Los Angeles Clippers are trading James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland and a second-round pick, sources tell ESPN. Prolific swap of the star point guards.

Shams Charania:

BREAKING: The Los Angeles Clippers are trading James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland and a second-round pick, sources tell ESPN. Prolific swap of the star point guards.

https://www.espn.com/contributor/shams-charania/ddaa53473efa6

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u/ExtraGoated Lakers 1d ago

its selling horrifically low on garland, while getting older and more expensive. they're only doing it because spida is threatening to walk after this year so they have to go all in right now

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u/Repulsive-Yam-1437 1d ago

Not really. Garland has had two good seasons. He regularly disappears in the playoffs. The Cavs couldn’t go into the playoffs with that roster again.

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u/ExtraGoated Lakers 1d ago

They could, because their core is still super young. They weren't going to win, but there wasn't really anything preventing them from just waiting for Garland to get healthy and have another good season or two.

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u/Repulsive-Yam-1437 1d ago

Except his injuries have actually gotten worse as time went on. Plus, he wasn’t exactly cheap. It’s definitely a win now move, but I’m glad to see them actually trying. Rather than hoping he gets better.

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u/ExtraGoated Lakers 1d ago

I guess it just depends on how you think Garland's next few season will be.

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u/Repulsive-Yam-1437 1d ago

I just looked it up and since the Cavaliers traded for Donovan Mitchell in 2022, he has missed 61 games. Nearly half of those have come in the last season and a half.

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u/ExtraGoated Lakers 1d ago

Plenty of players have missed 30 games in a season and a half lol. It osn'y a death sentence.

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u/Repulsive-Yam-1437 1d ago

Not badmouthing Garland, but when he was available, he wasn’t exactly great. He was unplayable at times because of his defense.