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Clippers Trade James Harden to Cavaliers for Darius Garland
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The Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Clippers agreed to a deal sending James Harden to Cleveland in exchange for Darius Garland, sources tell Sports Illustrated. The Clippers also receive a second-round pick in the deal, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The swap of former All-Star guards represents a significant shift for both teams. Harden, 36, has been a workhorse for the Clippers this season, averaging 25.4 points in 35.4 minutes per game. For the Cavaliers, he will pair with guard Donovan Mitchell in a win-now situation.
Garland, 26, has battled injuries this season. He missed Cleveland’s first seven games recovering from offseason toe surgery and has been sidelined since Jan. 16 with an ankle sprain. On the season, Garland is averaging 18 points per game. The Clippers will bank on his long-term outlook as they look to maximize Kawhi Leonard’s tenure and build for the future.
The next game for both teams is Wednesday—against each other. Los Angeles hosts Cleveland at 10:30 p.m. ET.
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Chris Mannix is a senior writer at Sports Illustrated covering the NBA and boxing beats. He joined the SI staff in 2003 following his graduation from Boston College. Mannix is the host of SI's "Open Floor" podcast and serves as a ringside analyst and reporter for DAZN Boxing. He is also a frequent contributor to NBC Sports Boston as an NBA analyst. A nominee for National Sportswriter of the Year in 2022, Mannix has won writing awards from the Boxing Writers Association of America and the Pro Basketball Writers Association, and is a longtime member of both organizations.
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