James Harden
January 2026

Multiple reports say the Clippers are sending Harden to Cleveland for Garland plus a future second-round pick, reuniting Harden with the East and pairing him with Mitchell. The framing is win-now for Cleveland with a 36-year-old high-usage scorer, while the Clippers get a 26-year-old two-time All-Star guard to reset their timeline. Lue publicly praised Harden’s impact as the reports surfaced.