Clippers' NBA Finals Odds Fall After James Harden Trade Rumor Surfaces

Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden reportedly could be on the move at the trade deadline.

Harden has missed the team's last two games for personal reasons, and ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the two sides are working to see if they can find a deal by Thursday's deadline. It's a pretty shocking development for Harden, who has been a key piece of L.A.'s turnaround this season that has helped it get back in the mix for a playoff spot in the West.

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

One team has emerged as potential Harden suitor in the last few hours, according to Sports Illustrated's NBA insider Chris Mannix.

"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 tellSports Illustrated," Mannix reported on Monday night.

Cleveland has already made a move ahead of the deadline, trading away forward De'Andre Hunter in a three-team deal with the Sacramento Kings and Chicago Bulls, and it could further shake up its roster with a Harden-Garland swap. Any deal with the Cavs will be complicated, as the team is still in the second apron as of Tuesday morning.

Harden's involvement in trade rumors has caused a shift in the Clippers' odds to win the NBA Finals at DraftKings Sportsbook. L.A. was +7000 to win the title on Monday morning, but the team has fallen back to +8000 with some uncertainty around the former league MVP's future.

If the Clippers can't find a deal for Harden, it could lead to a rocky situation down the stretch of the 2025-26 season. Plus, there is no guarantee that a Harden deal improves the Clippers' chances of winning the Finals this season.

Los Angeles is currently 23-26 and holds a play-in tournament spot in the Western Conference. After a slow start to the season, Los Angeles has been one of the better teams in the NBA over the last month-plus, with Harden and Kawhi Leonard leading the way.

Harden is 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 this season, appearing in 44 games for the Clippers.

Cleveland makes sense as a potential suitor since it has NBA Finals expectations and Garland has struggled to stay on the floor in the 2025-26 campaign. The former first-round pick has appeared in just 26 games for the Cavs, and a toe injury limited his availability in the playoffs last season as well.

The Clippers are 11th in the odds to win the NBA Finals as of Tuesday morning, but there is a steep drop off between them and the true contenders. The No. 9 team in the odds is the Philadelphia 76ers, and they sit at +3500 to win the title, significantly ahead of the Clippers in this market.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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