In a trade that had been brewing all day, the Cleveland Cavaliers had traded Darius Garland and a second-round pick for Clippers former MVP James Harden. Late last night, rumors of the deal were bubbling to the surface, but the two sides have officially come to an agreement to swap All-Star point guards.
Honestly, I’m not entirely sure if I like this move for Cleveland. It’s rumored that Garland’s foot/toe injury is worse than reported, and with how long this has continued to linger, that very well could be the case. He’s dealt with postseason injuries throughout his career, but moving on from your 26-year-old All-Star for James Harden feels like a massive risk.
Let’s look at the positives. At his best, Harden does everything Garland does, but better. He’s an elite playmaker who, paired with Jarrett Allen, could be one of the best pick-and-roll pairings in the league.
Harden has had a few injuries over the course of his career, but overall, he’s a more durable option than Garland. He has more ability to create his own shot than Garland and could help create more space for Donovan Mitchell.
They’re both limited in what they can provide on the defensive end, but at least Harden has some size and can pretend to add more value when he’s switched onto a bigger player. Of course, Harden is 37, so he might not have many good years left in him, but if he can give you another couple of good seasons, it might be worth the risk.
The deal was on hold all day as many believed the Cavs were looking for extra draft compensation to acquire a superstar — specifically Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Bucks have not been impressed with the offers they’ve received so far for Giannis, but could a package centered around Evan Mobley and draft picks be the best deal they get?
Mobley is coming off a season in which he finished second-team All-NBA and won Defensive Player of the Year. If you plan to move Giannis to a contender, the picks you’ll receive from them may not be valuable until a couple of years down the road. Mobley would easily be the most impactful player for the Bucks to build around in these rumored trades.
On the other hand, Mobley was supposed to be Cleveland’s version of Giannis. He’s still only 24, and he’s only getting stronger in the paint. However, I think it’s fair to say he doesn’t have the Tim Duncan or Antetokounmpo upside that Cleveland was hoping for.
If you want to hang on to Mobley, how good does he have to be in order to not add him to a package for a top-three player in the world? Personally, if Cleveland can get away with their rumored deal of Mobley, Max Strus, Lonzo Ball, and draft compensation, you almost have to do it.
A core of Mitchell, Harden, and Giannis would put the league on notice. On the other hand, you could easily see these moves being short-sighted and blowing up in Cleveland’s face.
