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Harden and Clippers face a trade deadline decision, with Cleveland Cavaliers interested. Talks involve Darius Garland, but Harden’s contract and veto power make any move uncertain.
Clippers’ James Harden (AFP)
The LA Clippers and James Harden are approaching a familiar crossroads.
With Thursday’s NBA trade deadline looming, the Clippers and their veteran guard are working through whether a deal makes sense, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
One team very much in the mix: the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Harden’s absence over the last two games only added fuel to the speculation.
The timing is awkward. After a brutal 6–21 start, the Clippers have steadied themselves and climbed back into the playoff conversation. Harden has been a big part of that turnaround, averaging 25.4 points in 35.4 minutes per night.
Cleveland, meanwhile, is exploring a guard-for-guard swap. Sports Illustrated reports advanced talks centered around Darius Garland, who has struggled to stay on the floor this season. The 26-year-old missed the first seven games recovering from toe surgery and has been sidelined since mid-January with an ankle injury, though he’s still putting up 18 points per game.
Harden’s contract complicates everything. At 36, he holds veto power over any trade, with the second year of his two-year, $81.5 million deal being a player option.
According to ClutchSports, Harden had been hoping to secure another two-year, fully guaranteed deal worth $80 million after this season, but the Clippers have remained steadfast in their unwillingness to go beyond 2027.
But long story short, no trade happens without his blessing.
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue, unsurprisingly, isn’t tipping his hand. After Monday’s loss to Philadelphia, he brushed off trade talk but made it clear Harden still matters to the team. “Who wouldn’t want to have James Harden?” Lue said.
Whether this ends with another Harden move or a recommitment in LA, the next few days will decide it.
The Clippers initially acquired Harden from the 76ers in 2023 to pair with superstars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
For a player already on his fifth NBA team — after stints in Oklahoma City, Houston, Brooklyn and Philadelphia — the deadline could open yet another chapter.
February 03, 2026, 15:40 IST
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