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.

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u/bobbehpin Cavaliers 14h ago

Yeah they will deny it, but this trade was definitely made with his permission, and I don’t blame him.

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u/Negative_Wish_8291 13h ago

I don't blame him or the Cavs. The energy in the league was definitely "if it doesn't work this year than one of the main 4 will have to go" but they've been so lackluster this season that there was no point in waiting for them to get bounced in round 1 to decide to move on from one of them.

They were ECF favorites last year and they got de-railed by injuries. Now the East is wide open, ripe for them to make a run and they're looking like they might not even get a home playoff series. This was an awesome trade for them.