Cavs' NBA Finals Odds Improve Amidst James Harden-Darius Garland Trade Rumor

Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden reportedly could be on the move at the trade deadline, and it appears the Cleveland Cavaliers are one of the leading suitors.

"The Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Clippers have had advanced discussions on a deal that would send James Harden to Cleveland in exchange for Darius Garland, sources tell Sports Illustrated," NBA insider Chris Mannix reported on Monday night.

Harden has missed the Clippers' last two games for personal reasons, and ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the two sides are looking to find a deal by Thursday's trade deadline.

The Los Angeles Clippers and 11-time All-Star James Harden are working through whether the sides can find a deal by Thursday's NBA trade deadline, sources tell ESPN. Both sides are aligned in conversations together and with interested teams. pic.twitter.com/XzvCz0fc4w
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 3, 2026

Cleveland's involvement in a potential Harden deal has caused a major shift in the odds to win the NBA Final this season. DraftKings Sportsbook has moved the Cavs from +2500 to +2200 to win the Finals, a sign that the betting market views Harden as a possible upgrade over Garland, who has missed a ton of games with injuries this season.

Harden is no longer the player he was when he won the NBA's Most Valuable Player award, but he's still had a strong 2025-26 season, averaging 25.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game while shooting 41.9 percent from the field and 34.7 percent from 3. Harden, despite missing the last two games as a potential trade gets worked out, is consistently on the floor, appearing in 44 games this season.

The Cavs already made a trade prior to the deadline, shipping out forward De'Andre Hunter to the Sacramento Kings for guards Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis. Cleveland is a second apron team, which makes any trade trickier, but it could look to shed future salary by moving off of Garland and bringing in Harden.

Harden could be a free agent after this season, as he has a player option worth north of $42 million for the 2026-27 season.

The Cavs have underachieved so far this season, so it's not surprising that they're looking to shake up their roster at the deadline. Cleveland is currently the No. 5 seed in the East, and it's two games out of the No. 2 seed. The team has played better as of late, winning eight of its last 10 games to get out of the play-in tournament realm in the East.

It's possible the Cavs believe that they could win the title if they can upgrade from Garland, especially since the former first-round pick has not played much this season. Garland has appeared in just 26 games, averaging 18.0 points, 2.4 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game while shooting 45.1 percent from the field and 36.0 percent from 3.

Toe injuries have derailed Garland's last two seasons, as he was sidelined for a lot of Cleveland's playoff run last season and had offseason surgery to repair the issue. Still, he's missed time with multiple toe ailments in the 2025-26 campaign.

If the Cavs pull off a Harden-Garland swap, it's possible their odds will continue to improve in the Eastern Conference as they attempt to re-enter the conversation as a top contender in the East. Right now, the New York Knicks (+1200), Detroit Pistons (+1400) an Boston Celtics (+1600) all have better odds than Cleveland to win the title this season.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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