Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden has earned renewed respect from Zach Lowe following his trade from the Los Angeles Clippers, according to comments made on the latest episode of The Zach Lowe Show.
On the episode, Lowe explained why Harden’s approach to his Clippers exit resonated with him, framing the move as a clear-eyed business decision rather than a messy breakup.
“I’m really starting to just enjoy how cold and brazen and mercenary he is. Its just funny. Like he’s the one player who’s like, they treat us like assets, we’re just assets to them. Well look, you didn’t pay me long term, I don’t think we’re going anywhere. I like playing at home. I like Los Angeles, I wanted to be here, but you ain’t paying me and you signaled you ain’t paying me, I’m going to go somewhere I might be able to win and they might be able to pay me. And I’m prepared to break some s—t on the way out the door.”
Lowe added that, despite Harden’s reputation for turbulent exits, his tenure with the Clippers never reached that point.
“Now they didn’t get to that point because I think it’s been a pretty copacetic relationship start to finish between Harden and the Clippers and everybody understood each other from day one. Certainly from the day he signed that contract. But I just respect like the mercenary nature of it.”
Zach Lowe’s James Harden critique shifts as Cavaliers acquire guard from Clippers
The remarks are notable given Lowe’s long-standing criticism of Harden’s postseason performances, particularly during earlier stops in his career. Harden, now 36, has played for six franchises, beginning with the Oklahoma City Thunder, followed by extended stints with the Houston Rockets, Brooklyn Nets, and Philadelphia 76ers before joining the Clippers and, most recently, Cleveland.
Cleveland acquired Harden on Tuesday in a trade that sent Darius Garland and a 2026 second-round pick to Los Angeles. Harden was in his third season with the Clippers and is averaging 25.4 points, 8.1 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 41.9% from the field, 34.7% from three-point range, and a career-high 90.1% from the free-throw line. He has appeared in 44 games, logging 35.4 minutes per contest.
The Cavaliers enter the next stretch of the schedule with a 30–21 record, sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference standings. Harden is expected to bolster a Cleveland backcourt seeking additional playmaking and late-game scoring as the season progresses.
Cleveland continues its five-game road trip Wednesday night with a matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers, who are 23–26, at 10:30 p.m. ET. Neither James Harden nor Darius Garland is expected to play as both teams manage rotations following Tuesday’s trade.
