Veteran guard James Harden did not have to go far to join his new team.
The 11-time All-Star officially was traded by the Los Angeles Clippers to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday for guard Darius Garland and a second-round draft pick, hours before the teams were scheduled to face each other in Inglewood, Calif.
Harden, 36, was held out of the Clippers’ lineup the last two games for what the team labeled personal reasons.
The former NBA MVP and three-time scoring champ averaged 25.4 points, 8.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds in 44 games for the Clippers this season, his 17th in the NBA.
“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,” Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman said in a release. “We are excited about the impact he will have on our group and our championship aspirations.”
Harden could block any trade because he’s technically under contract for just this season, so he had to give his approval for the swap. The second year of his two-year, $81.5 million deal is a player option, which isn’t fully guaranteed.
Garland, 26, has been sidelined since Jan. 14 with a Grade 1 right toe sprain. The two-time All-Star averaged 18.0 points and 6.9 assists over 26 games for the Cavs this season. He is in the third year of a five-year, $197.2 million contract.
“We are trying to get younger while continuing to win, and Darius allows us to do both,” Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said in a release. “He is a two-time All-Star who just turned 26 and a highly skilled point guard with excellent feel. Darius is an adept shooter and passer, a quick decision-maker and a respected teammate who has shown the ability to run an elite offense.”
The Cavaliers (30-21) are in contention in the Eastern Conference, one of four teams with at least 30 wins behind first-place Detroit (37-12).
The Clippers (23-26) hold a play-in spot in the West as the ninth-place team, but they have gone 17-5 since Dec. 20.
The NBA trade deadline is Thursday at 3 p.m. ET.
