Cavaliers Acquire 11-time NBA All-Star James Harden

Harden has also appeared in 173 postseason games (130 starts) over his career, the third-most playoff games among all active NBA players. He has also made the postseason in each of his 16 NBA seasons, holding playoff career averages of 22.5 points, 6.5 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 1.63 steals in 36.2 minutes per game. Harden has reached the NBA Finals once, in 2012 with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and has made four Western Conference Finals appearances (2011 and 2012 with Oklahoma City, as well as 2015 and 2018 with the Houston Rockets).        

Garland (6-1, 195) has appeared in 408 games (404 starts) over his seven NBA seasons with the Cavaliers, with career averages of 18.8 points, 6.7 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.15 steals in 33.1 minutes per game. The two-time NBA All-Star (2022, 2025) ranks ninth in Cavaliers history in points scored (7,671 points), third in three-pointers made (956 3FGM), third in total assists (2,738 assists) and 11^th in total steals (468 steals). He also appeared in 22 postseason games (all starts) with the Cavaliers, helping Cleveland reach the playoffs three times (2023-25). Garland has played in 26 games (all starts) for Cleveland this season, averaging 18.0 points, 6.9 assists and 2.4 rebounds in 30.5 minutes per game. He was selected with the No. 5 overall pick by Cleveland in 2019 following one season at Vanderbilt.

CLEVELAND – The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired 11-time NBA All-Star James Harden in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers, Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman announced today. In exchange for Harden, Cleveland has sent guard Darius Garland and draft considerations to Los Angeles.

“James Harden has cemented himself as an all-time great in this league and he adds another elite playmaker and All-NBA talent to our roster,” said Altman. “We’re excited about the impact he will have on our group and our championship aspirations. His presence will elevate our offense, create opportunities for teammates, and bring valuable playoff experience at both ends of the floor.”

“At the same time, we deeply appreciate what Darius Garland has meant to this franchise and the city of Cleveland,” Altman added. “Over the past seven seasons, Darius grew into an All-Star, a leader, and the heartbeat of our team. This decision was not made lightly, as Darius consistently represented the Cavaliers and our community with grace and joy that resonated with his teammates and our fans, both at Rocket Arena and across the NBA. We are incredibly grateful for everything he has given this organization. The difficulty of this trade reflects the utmost respect we have for him, and we wish him nothing but success as he begins the next chapter of his career with the Los Angeles Clippers.”

Harden (6-5, 220) has appeared in 44 games (all starts) for the Clippers this season, averaging 25.4 points (16th-best in the NBA), 8.1 assists (3^rd-best in the NBA), 4.8 rebounds and 1.30 steals in 35.4 minutes, while shooting a career-high .901 from the free throw line (5^th-best in the NBA). He is one of just three players this season averaging at least 25.0 points and 8.0 assists per game. Harden has also made 135 three-pointers, the 17^th-most in the NBA this season. He scored a season-high and Clippers franchise-record 55 points, including 10-16 (.625) shooting from the three-point line in 35 minutes on November 22nd at Charlotte, a total that is tied for the second-highest scoring game by any player in the NBA this season.

Over his illustrious career, Harden has been named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, which was honored at the 2022 NBA All-Star Weekend in Cleveland, and was the NBA Most Valuable Player in 2018. He is also a six-time All-NBA First Team selection (2014, 2015, 2017-2020), two-time All-NBA Third Team selection (2013, 2025), 11-time NBA All-Star (2013-22, 2024), three-time scoring champion (2018-2020), two-time NBA assist leader (2017, 2023), NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2012, and two-time gold medalist with USA Basketball (2012 Olympics in London, 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain). Additionally, he earned an NBA All-Rookie Second Team selection in 2010 after being selected with the No. 3 overall pick by the Thunder in the 2009 NBA Draft.

Playing in his 17^th NBA season, Harden has appeared in 1,195 NBA regular season games (981 starts), owning career averages of 24.1 points, 7.3 assists, 5.6 rebounds and 1.48 steals in 34.8 minutes per game with Oklahoma City, Houston, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, and L.A. Clippers. One of only five players in NBA history to average at least 24.0 points and 7.0 assists per game, Harden has also recorded 82 career triple-doubles (eighth-most in NBA history) and 403 double-doubles. The three-time NBA scoring champion (2018-2020) has logged 769 games with 20 points (11^th-most in NBA history), 342 games with 30 points (13^th-most in NBA history), 107 games with 40 points (4^th-most in NBA history), 25 games with 50 points (4^th-most in NBA history) and four games with 60 points (T-4^th most in NBA history), ranking among the top 15 in each category.