James Harden Came Out Of Nowhere And Requested A Trade Out Of LA, With All Signs Pointing To A Potential Swap For Darius Garland

Now that we're officially off and running with NBA Trade Deadline week, one thing you have to accept is the fact that you're just not able to sleep until we get through Thursday. The way the NBA works, crazy shit happens late at night this time of year. This time last year, Luka Doncic was traded in the middle of the night. You have to be on high alert at all times. It's only a matter of time before shit hits the fan this season, so we're all just sort of waiting around for the next bomb to drop.

May I present to you, James Harden supposedly demanding a trade out of nowhere?

Uhhhhhh what? I'm old enough to remember when James Harden trade demanded his way to the Clippers, now he's asking out while the team has won 16 of their last 20? And make no mistake, this is not against Harden's wishes. He has the ability to veto any trade, so nothing happens unless he wants it to happen. He has a defacto no trade clause, so this is Harden's camp telling the Clippers he's ready to be moved.

The question is why? What the hell could have happened for something that really feels out of left field? As always, it often comes down to money

James Harden and the Clippers have been in active trade talks for multiple weeks, sources said, with the Clippers working with Harden on potential trade destinations for the 36-year-old guard. The team hasn't wanted to trade Harden, especially with the team's recent stretch of success. This request from Harden came as a surprise to the organization, given how they have turned their season around.

Over their last 21 games, the Clippers have gone 17-4, including a 128-113 loss at home on Monday night to the Philadelphia 76ers. Harden did not play in this game, nor did he play on Sunday night on the road against the Phoenix Suns, due to what the team was labeling as “personal reasons.”

The guard has remained in the team's lineup and played in almost all of LA's games during these discussions, but there has been an understanding from both parties that there would be attempts to facilitate a deal by the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline.

While the Clippers and Cavs trade talks have reached a new advanced stage, the deal is not yet done, per source, and there remains a chance that Harden remains with the team past the deadline. There is a real scenario where both sides will need to revisit trade talks in the summer should a deal not be finalized before Thursday.

Harden, currently on a two-year, $81.5 million deal signed last summer with a partial guarantee worth $13.3 million for the 2026-27 season.

The Clippers have long been prioritizing their cap space heading into the summer of 2027, and were not willing to give players deals beyond the 2026-27 season. Harden, who turns 37 in August, had been hoping to secure a two-year, fully guaranteed deal worth $80 million after this season, sources said, but the Clippers have remained steadfast in their unwillingness to go beyond 2027.

I guess that makes a little more sense. If you aren't going to extend me, then trade me. Kind of fucked up to bail on a team playing well right now, but this certainly wouldn't be the first time. I could maybe see it if Kawhi was hurt, but he's healthy and playing better than ever. The Clippers are back from the dead, largely because of how Harden has been playing, and now he dips just because of an extension? Brutal.

Advertisement

Then there's the whole Cavs side of this thing.

Welcome to the 2nd apron, folks. The Cavs entertaining this idea tells you that they probably aren't looking to pay Garland another extension in a few years, and with Harden having a player option he may very well turn down, that frees up a lot of money for the Cavs in future seasons. Given the Cavs are a 2nd apron team, eventually you have to cut money. That's just how it works. If you aren't paying Garland a new deal, he's a logical place to start. Remember, they already shed De'Andre Hunter's money earlier this deadline. Maybe they don't think Garland can stay healthy, and at least this gives them a good player in return for this current season, but James Harden is 36. He's a decade older than Garland, and even if you don't love Darius Garland, there's no need to panic trade him right now. He has two fully guaranteed years after this season. If you want to move him, why not wait until the summer, when more teams can get involved?

The Cavs would essentially be saying that they believe the championship missing piece that is worth blowing up their core for, is James Harden. I dunno about that, and I'm a James Harden guy. We Sun Devils stick together, but I'm not exactly putting all my championship eggs in the James Harden basket right now, especially when I also need to be worried about a pending Donovan Mitchell extension. That feels like a recipe for disaster at a time when the Cavs have also been playing better as of late (8-2 over last 10). Does that change anything for them in the East? I'm not sure it does.

We'll see if that trade goes through, but at the very least, James Harden has made it known that he wants out of LA which is certainly not something anyone saw coming. Not at a time when the Clippers have been one of the best teams in the league. If they can find a way to turn him into Darius Garland, I guess that's a win for them, even with Garland's limitations if Harden has made it clear he's leaving. 

It's not quite Luka getting traded in the middle of the night, but it is a fairly big amount of chaos, and things are only getting started.