How James Harden Compliments Cleveland Cavaliers Locker Room and Chemistry

The Cleveland Cavaliers shook things up at the NBA Trade Deadline.

And so far, it seems to be paying off.

On Saturday, Feb. 7, the Cavaliers travelled to California to take on the Sacramento Kings, downing them in a close-knit affair, 132-126. The team looked sharp, with five players finishing in double figures, and a 35-point performance from superstar guard Donovan Mitchell.

But the newbies stole the spotlight, as guards James Harden, Dennis Schröder and Keon Ellis all contributed at a high level.

Harden put up a stellar 23 points and eight assists on an efficient 7-of-13 and 5-of-8 shooting. He also knocked down four free throws as well. Ellis and Schröder focused on facilitation and defense, combining for seven assists and tacking on five steals.

When team's shift things up at the trade deadline, sometimes, that can cause both internal conflicts and discrepancies on the court. Team morale and chemistry may even lose its touch for a bit of time, but Cleveland seems to be an outlier. So far, they haven't been effected much at all.

Following the Cavaliers' win over the Kings, Harden spoke highly about his early impressions of the team, and how easy it was to feel right at home.

“I like how together they are. They’re well connected," Harden said. "They got the same mindset. They’re very unselfish. I’m just happy to be here.”

While it has just been a few days, it seems he's enjoyed his time with the organization that decided to take a chance on him to put them back into NBA championship contention.

James Harden on the Cavs:

“I like how together they are. They’re well connected. They got the same mindset. They’re very unselfish. I’m just happy to be here.”
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— ¹⁰ (@HoodiGarland) February 8, 2026

Harden's Immediate Connection

It should really come as no surprise that Harden's already finding himself right at home.

According to multiple reports that emerged following the trade that sent point guard Darius Garland to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Harden, Mitchell wanted the front office to make the move. He was a driving force for the Cavaliers to break up the core four and push the team into a new chapter.

“That guy has done it at all levels," Mitchell said about Harden. "He’s a Hall of Fame player. The biggest thing is that he will make life easier for everybody. Our bigs are gonna feed off of that.

"Now it’s like you gotta pick your poison.”

Cleveland has two All-Star level talents underneath the basket, with both Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen slowly coming along as the year ticks ahead. They've struggled at times, but recently, they've both been exceptional.

Harden, who's averaged over eight assists per game over the last three seasons, has historically been able to help grow team's bigs. Most recently, he led to further success for Clippers center Ivica Zubac.

It'll also be nice to see a Cavaliers point guard stay healthy, with the team having to dive into the bench depth time and time again throughout the season due to Garland's countless foot injuries. Having Harden healthy will be great for chemistry and as long as he can stay on the court, everyone will have plenty of time to get used to playing together prior to the playoffs.

For now, the Cavaliers next look to take on the Denver Nuggets on Monday, Feb. 9, with hopes of keeping momentum going. The two sides will tip-off at 9:00 p.m. EST from the Ball Arena in Colorado.