When it comes down to it, the Cleveland Cavaliers have a couple of reasons to trade Darius Garland, or to feel comfortable with the decision. Though a two-time All-Star with a high skill level and natural feel as a point guard, he’s flawed like every other player. The problem is that his greatest flaws, unreliable defense and inadequate availability, have legitimately held his team back over the years. At least, that was the case until this season.
30-21 on the season, Cleveland’s managed to achieve a 17-8 record without Garland. This is largely due to Jaylon Tyson‘s Most Improved Player campaign, as he’s been the primary spot-starter when Garland’s been out. A confident and crafty yet concise shot-maker, Tyson has averaged 15.0 points per game on 53.3% shooting from the field (47.4% from 3). The overall impact of his defense and decision-making are difficult to quantify statistically. Nonetheless, with the Cavs going 19-12 in his starts, it’s clear that they’ve found something in the 2024 No. 20 pick.
The Cavs Shouldn’t Trade For Clippers Star James Harden
For those doing the math at home, if Cleveland has a 17-8 record without Garland as a 30-21 team, that means they’re 13-13 record in the games that he has played in.
Long story short, that’s not going to cut it. Not for a team that’s trying to make it past the second round of the playoffs. Not for a team that’s trying to win the second championship in franchise history. Nobody can say that Garland isn’t among the league’s better players but, as they say, every season is different. In 2025-26, the Cavs have been better without him. To no one’s surprise, they guard better. However, though they lose firepower, the offense has even been flowing better.
All of that being said, the Cavs intrigue swapping Garland for Los Angeles Clippers star guard James Harden doesn’t make sense from a basketball perspective.
Harden has more experience as a player. He’s been a part of a Finals-bound team and led teams to the playoffs. He hits a higher gear than Garland offensively, especially as a takeover scorer. To that point, perhaps Cleveland believes Donovan Mitchell has too much on his plate carrying the offense. They might even think that Harden would make them a more appealing free agent destination for Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, whose time in the City of Angels is coming to an end.
Heck, maybe they’re just enamored with the thought of bringing in a surefire future Hall of Famer.
Even so, Harden is over 10 years older than Garland, which could shorten their championship window by a significant margin. He’s no better than Garland defensively but he’s less efficient on offense while also commanding more usage. His reputation as a stepback artist precedes him. Yet, his inconsistent 3-ball is almost sure to damage Cleveland’s already middling effectiveness from outside. That’s not just an issue on the surface, it’s systemic; mediocre 3-point shooting doesn’t jive with Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson’s idea of offensive efficacy.
A Better Option?
One reason that Cleveland may be entertaining a Harden trade is a desire to get off of Garland’s contract.
To that point, Garland is owed $39.5 million this season. In 2026-27, that number will climb to $42.2 million. The next season, he’ll be paid $44.9 million. There are no player or team options in his contract. Basically, he has the Cavs on the hook for about $126.6 million, and they don’t even know if he’s still part of their puzzle.
Keeping that in mind, Harden will make $39.2 million in 2025-26. The season after that, he’ll be paid $42.3 million. Of note, he has a player option on his contract for 2026-27. If exercised, he would become a free agent this summer. That wouldn’t free up enough cap space for Cleveland to get under the covers. However, they would be about $23 million under the first apron, giving them access to roster-building that they don’t currently have as a second apron team. For example, it’s the type of move that would make a sign-and-trade for James more feasible.
The Cavs may have a better option than that though.
Adding A Young Forward
If they’re not just purely financially incentivized to trade Garland, then the Orlando Magic or Brooklyn Nets may be a viable trade partner.
The only legal trade that they could make with the Magic is for Franz Wagner. It wouldn’t be easy to get him out of Orlando as he’s one of their more popular core players. A gangly 6-foot-10 forward, Wagner’s a true two-way player who’s developing into a complete scorer. However, the Magic are in need of on-court direction and could refine their offense with Garland as the floor general. At 6-foot-7 and 200 pounds, Anthony Black has the size to slide into Wagner’s slot, with Garland and Jalen Suggs starting in the backcourt.
Michael Porter Jr. is the logical target if the Cavaliers were to complete a trade with the Nets. A recent NBA champion (2023), he’s proven he knows how to play winning basketball. Offensively, he’s a supremely gifted shooter who plays with a full awareness of that. He’s aggressive on the boards, his knack for putbacks one of his defining traits in his time with the Denver Nuggets. Defensively, he’s unreliable but underrated. The Nets drafted enough point guards for Brooklyn and New Jersey last year. Nevertheless, none have proven they’re worthy of being a franchise cornerstone.
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