Ty Lue & Kawhi Leonard Address Shocking James Harden Trade News

Los Angeles Clippers head coach Ty Lue and forward Kawhi Leonard addressed the James Harden trade rumors on Monday night.

Jan 7, 2026; New York, New York, USA; LA Clippers guard James Harden (1) slaps hands with forward Kawhi Leonard (2) during the first quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Everything was going business as usual for the Los Angeles Clippers. They'd been in the midst of a hot streak, dramatically inserted themselves back into the postseason race, and it looked as if the team may stand relatively pat in the lead-up to the NBA's February 5 trade deadline, aside from depth moves.

Then the bombshell hit.

Reports surfaced in the middle of the Clippers home game against the Philadelphia 76ers that the front office was in "advanced" discussions with the Cleveland Cavaliers on a trade that would send James Harden to Ohio in exchange for point guard Darius Garland.

Harden, who has missed the last two games for what has been termed "personal reasons," reportedly requested a trade.

As of this writing, a deal is not yet completed, but a couple of key members of the organization addressed the reports following the Clippers' 128-113 loss on Monday night, most notably forward Kawhi Leonard.

Kawhi Leonard on the James Harden trade reports:

“It’s a surprise… Respect his decision. Or whoever’s decision it is. That’s still gonna be my boy. Trust the front office.” pic.twitter.com/472C09wTEn

— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) February 3, 2026

Ty Lue Has Emotional Response to James Harden's Trade Request

Leonard couldn't hide his surprise about the trade reports, reiterated his love for Harden, but underlined his trust in the front office in typical Kawhi fashion.

Head coach Tyronn Lue also talked about the sudden development, and the way he addressed it was particularly poignant. Lue's focus was more on what Harden meant to the organization, adding, "Who wouldn't want to have James Harden?"

Ty Lue on James Harden:

“He means a lot. He means a lot to our team. You’ve seen it the last three years.”

Does he wanna see him stay?

“Who wouldn’t wanna have James Harden?” pic.twitter.com/q7RkdvOJWi

— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) February 3, 2026

Lue's expressions when talking about the report essentially encapsulate what a truly shocking development this is for a team that has been playing very well of late.

Both Leonard's and Lue's statements reveal how much they were caught off guard by Monday's news.

They had posted a 17-5 mark over their last 22 games, seemingly putting a disastrous start to the season behind them, and currently sit firmly in a play-in tournament spot at ninth in the Western Conference, three and a half games in front of the 11th-seeded Memphis Grizzlies.

The team had an impressive win in Phoenix sans Harden on Sunday before falling to the 76ers in the second leg of a back-to-back, but Harden's departure may make things more difficult for the team.

All this, of course, is pending the full return for The Beard -- or even if the trade gets completed between now and Thursday at noon Pacific. But for now, Leonard and Lue have made their feelings known.