James Harden Raves About Fit With Donovan Mitchell as a Member of the Cavaliers

On Tuesday, March 3, just days before the 2026 NBA Trade Deadline, the Cleveland Cavaliers shook up the Core 4, dealing Darius Garland to the Los Angeles Clippers.

But in return, they got better, bringing in veteran guard James Harden.

Since becoming a member of the Cavaliers, his fit alongside guard Donovan Mitchell and the others on the roster has looked really good.

Following a string of wins, Harden was asked about what it has been like playing alongside a player like Mitchell, who has been putting up MVP-calibre numbers this season. He was very complimentary of the Cavaliers' franchise superstar.

"Everything is just on the fly. You've got to figure it out," Harden said about the new pairing. "But he's unselfish. He's confident in his game, and he wants to win at the highest level. So you have two of those guys who... I'm very confident in my game. I'm unselfish, and I want to win at the highest level.

"So you've got two guys who match perfectly for each other, and you've got a team and a system that fits well."

James Harden on the fit with Donovan Mitchell:

“He’s unselfish, confident in his game, and wants to win at the highest level. So now you got two guys who match perfectly for each other. You got a team and system that fits well. It’s a no brainer.”pic.twitter.com/oOFak5cYu6
— ¹⁰ (@HoodiGarland) March 6, 2026

The Cavaliers are currently sit fourth in the Eastern Conference standings, posting an overall record of 39-24. They are just 2.5 games behind the New York Knicks for third and 3.5 games behind the Boston Celtics for second.

They are on pace to fight for a top spot in the standings by the end of the campaign.

Harden Raises the Cavaliers' Ceiling

Since becoming a member of the Cavaliers, the team has seemingly taken a major leap forward offensively.

While it hasn't been a seamless process, mainly due to roster injuries, including one to Harden himself, when he's been on the court, the team has gone 8-1. The single loss Harden has suffered when on the court came against the defending NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder.

And even in that game, Harden looked sharp, posting 20 points, nine assists and five rebounds on 57.1% from the field and 42.9% from beyond the arc.

The addition of a player like Harden allows the guard play to be less reliant on Mitchell, forcing opposing teams to have to guard both tightly. If the team they are going against doesn't have the necessary guard depth to hang with both, one will be able to thrive while the other takes the pressure.

If a team throws all its resources at Harden and Mitchell, then, in turn, it frees up both bigs down low, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, to get more chances at the rim.

While the team struggled to find a flow with Darius Garland on the court, primarily due to his continued inactiveness due to injury, Harden's fit has been much more impactful.

In all nine games since coming to Cleveland, Harden has scored over 20 points in five games and dished off over seven assists in eight, recording a double-double once. His best game came against the Denver Nuggets back on Monday, Nov. 9, where he scored 22 points, hauled in 10 rebounds and threw seven assists out. He also scored the go-ahead bucket late, which helped the team win, 119-117.

"I see an opportunity to win in the East," Harden said when he was traded. "They got a very good team, coaching staff, all of the above. So as much as I wanted to stay in L.A. and give it a go, I've never won one before. As a basketball mind, I think we have a bit better chance."

The future looks bright with the 36-year-old as a member of the Cavaliers. The only hope now is that as players become healthier, the team chemistry can continue to grow as they make a push towards a deep playoff run.