On Monday night, the entire NBA world was stunned when they learned of James Harden's latest trade request. Harden, amidst the Clippers' strong surge as of late, angled for a move elsewhere, and on Tuesday, he got his wish — with the Cleveland Cavaliers sending Darius Garland and a second-round pick to finalize their trade for the 36-year-old former MVP.
Harden broke his silence regarding the matter, revealing that he admires the Clippers front office for not further complicating the situation. Moreover, he also said that teaming up with the Cavs gives him a better chance to win an ever-elusive championship.
“I can respect (Steve Ballmer) and (Lawrence Frank) and (Tyronn Lue) because they didn't put me in a weird position as much as everybody tried to make it like that,” Harden told Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.
“In Cleveland I see an opportunity to win in the East— they got a very good team, coaching staff, all of the above. So as much as I wanted to stay in LA and give it a go—I’ve never won one before. As a basketball mind I think we have a bit better chance.”
“I'm excited about Cleveland —I'm still trying to chase my first championship and do whatever it takes to win.”
Cavs' James Harden believes he did what was best for the Clippers
The Clippers may have rescued their 2025-26 season a bit with their strong past month or so, but Harden saw that the writing was on the wall for this LA squad. Their time as a contending team is coming to an end, and he believes that his exit would pave the way for an eventual rebuild for his former team.
“[I] didn't want to feel like I was holding the Clippers up in their future. I wanted them to actually have a chance to rebuild and get some draft capital,” Harden added. “At the end of the day it is a business and I think both sides got what they wanted, are in a great place and are very happy.”
