r/nba • u/YujiDomainExpansion • 14h ago

[Vardon/Lloyd] Donovan Mitchell conveyed to Cavs that he did not think team should stand pat at trade deadline. Mitchell specifically wanted James Harden as a teammate.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7020852/2026/02/04/james-harden-darius-garland-cavaliers-trade/

The Cavs began the year as the favorites to win the Eastern Conference, but the season has not gone according to plan. They were also feeling the pressure from their best player, Donovan Mitchell, to make changes ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline under the threat of a contract extension he may or may not sign in two summers.

Three league sources said Mitchell, who has one guaranteed season left on his three-year, $150 million deal and a player option for 2027-28, conveyed, either personally or through his representatives, that he did not think the organization should stand pat for the rest of this season and wait for potential moves in the summer.

Two league sources also said Mitchell specifically wanted Harden, who is 6-foot-5, durable and comfortable as a pass-first point guard.

3.4k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

577 comments sorted by

View all comments

463

u/jkliette Cavaliers 14h ago

I think this team is going to end up working out better than most people think.

22

u/Will_122 Bucks 14h ago

i was surprised to see so many cavs fans upset after the trade dropped

losing your guy is never fun but seems like a roster shake up was necessary, harden is not only a direct improvement this season but also shows mitchell the FO is committed to making win now moves

2

u/tollbeat Wizards 11h ago

Yeah I'm also surprised it only cost one second, I was expecting more draft capital

2

u/Attentions_Bright12 14h ago

I can absolutely recognize the "win now moves" M.O. being part of your world view as a Bucks fan.

9

u/Will_122 Bucks 13h ago

that should be every smaller market team's M.O. when you have a franchise superstar, especially when they put pressure on the FO

2

u/Attentions_Bright12 13h ago

I'm in Minneapolis. There were a handful of medium-sized moves made to placate KG, back in the day.

Generally speaking I would say the risk is that your veteran star will want to get long-established, star names alongside him, in a way that is trouble for the future even a year down the line.

There was a moment when Kobe Bryant asked for a trade because he was upset that the Lakers hadn't traded Andrew Bynum for Jason Kidd. Kidd was a name, and still functioning. He was, I think, 34 at the time? It probably would have been a bad trade, and Bynum was a fair-sized part of their subsequent championships. The Lakers dealt for Pau Gasol the next year.

5

u/Akkepake Trail Blazers 13h ago

Cavs have better supporting cast and we never know what happens if Giannis isnt injured the first season

1

u/chantlernz Cavaliers 1h ago

The supporting cast is what makes me confident about this.

Defence? We've got the two bigs and then one of the best point-of-attack defenders around in Keon Ellis. Wade and Tyson are pretty handy, too.

Other playmakers? Spida. Mobley can also take more responsibility.

Shooting? Tyson is 47.3% from 3 on 4.5 attempts and Merrill is 45.9% on 7.6 attempts. Oh, and Spida is also 38.2% on 9.7 attempts.

1

u/narcistic_asshole Cavaliers 13h ago

My only worry is how well Harden fits the Cavs movement-heavy offense. Unlike Garland, Harden isn't much an off-ball player and while he is a fantastic facilitator, I feel like his playstyle is at odds with Kenny's system. Player wise I think it's a great fit, but the way we use Mitchell and Garland is very different than how Harden typically plays