The Cleveland Cavaliers got exactly what they were hoping for in James Harden‘s debut on Saturday night. Harden put up 23 points while Donovan Mitchell led the way with 35 as Cleveland took down the Sacramento Kings 132-126.
Harden arrived in Cleveland this week after the Cavaliers dealt Darius Garland and a second-round pick to the Los Angeles Clippers. His first night went smoothly, and afterward, he did not just head to the locker room.
In a conversation with beat writer Joey Linn, Harden opened up about why the trade happened in the first place. The way Harden tells it, the Clippers looked at their roster and decided they were not built to win it all. So, they pivoted.
“Maybe about a week ago, I was informed (a trade) was a possibility, and then I’m like, ‘Oh wow.’ But, me and T Frank had conversations about my contract not being guaranteed. Which I understand that part. There’s a part where if we’re not good enough, they gotta make decisions for their team.”
“The opportunity came up and it was just.. I gotta make a decision for my family. I think both sides made the right decision. Credit to those guys. Much love to those guys. I hope the best and much success.”
It did not take long for Harden to show Cleveland what they are getting. He shot 7-for-13 from the floor and buried five threes on eight tries. Add in eight assists, two rebounds, and one steal, and the Cavaliers fans got a pretty complete night against Sacramento.
None of this should catch anyone off guard. James Harden spent the last two and a half seasons proving he’s still one of the best floor generals in the league. He mostly stayed healthy, controlled games, and did it all without needing the ball every possession.
That is what kept the Clippers competitive and got them into the playoffs. Now, Los Angeles has to hope Garland can deliver something close to that. Garland had his moments in Cleveland, but the injury history and questions about how he fits long-term might have the Clippers second-guessing themselves down the line. Though Ty Lue seems confident in his approach.
Harden made it clear his time with the Clippers was not about chasing numbers. After the win, he also spoke about the impact he made for the franchise beyond the box score.
“That’s all I can do. My job is to go out there and be a leader, be helpful, be encouraging to not only players, but staff members. We’re human. Just an opportunity to bond with people, understand them and what they go through in real life. Who they are as people, their families, their kids. That’s what it’s about. People from the outside looking in, ‘Oh James gets traded and is making jokes…’ in reality we all live a real life and we all got jobs to do.”
“I feel like I did my job in the sense of leaving an impact — maybe it’s one individual, maybe it’s a whole organization. And, basketball is one thing. You try to win a championship, it’s only one team that wins a championship. But you still can be a really good person to people. Because you never know who’s having a bad day. You never know what stamp you can leave on somebody’s day or life. It was real love for me.”
James Harden’s versatility has never been in doubt. When Kawhi Leonard was on the court, Harden averaged 25 points and 10 assists like it was routine. When Leonard was sidelined, Harden took the reins completely. He dictated tempo, created offense out of nothing, and got the Intuit Dome crowd on its feet.
Whether this move works out for Cleveland in the long run is still up in the air, but Harden’s resume speaks for itself. He set a Clippers franchise record with 55 points on 65.4% shooting during one of Leonard’s absences. He also rattled off several 30- and 40-point games that Clippers fans are not going to forget anytime soon.
