According to a report by ESPN's Shams Charania on Monday, the Los Angeles Clippers and James Harden's parting ways is almost a done deal. Both sides have begun working together to reach an agreement before the trade deadline.

Sports Illustrated reporter Chris Mannix stated that the Cleveland Cavaliers are Harden's most likely destination. They have been in advanced talks with the Clippers regarding a trade for Harden, and consider 26-year-old guard Darius Garland as one of their key assets.

Yahoo Sports' Kelly Ico later added that the Cavaliers' interest in Harden dates back to December of last year. At that time, the Clippers had a poor start to the season (6 wins and 21 losses), and management began evaluating potential trades involving Harden, John Collins, Brook Lopez, and others.

Iko also pointed out that Harden currently has the right to veto any trade. Under the current collective bargaining agreement, any player returning to the team on a one- or two-year short-term contract (with the second year being a player option) automatically has an implicit trade veto right.

The 36-year-old Harden previously played for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Brooklyn Nets, and Philadelphia 76ers before being traded to the Clippers in November 2023. He has appeared in 1,195 regular-season games to date, averaging 24.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 1.5 steals in 34.8 minutes per game. He has been an 11-time All-Star and a 6-time All-NBA selection.

In June 2025, Harden signed a two-year, $81.5 million contract extension with the Clippers, with the second year being a player option. This season, he played 44 regular-season games for the Clippers, averaging 25.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 8.1 assists, and 1.3 steals in 35.4 minutes per game, shooting 41.9% from the field and 34.7% from three-point range.

As for Garland, he has been battling injuries all season. As the fifth overall pick in the first round of the 2019 draft, Garland has played 408 games for the Cavaliers so far, averaging 18.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.1 steals in 33.0 minutes per game, with a field goal percentage of 45.3% and a three-point percentage of 38.6%.

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