The Cleveland Cavaliers already got a glimpse of what it's like to have James Harden on the team. From circus buckets to Magic-like playmaking, all the way to the lack of effort on defense. They've seen it all.
The Los Angeles Clippers, on the other hand, can't say the same of their new All-Star. If anything, they've only gone through the most frustrating part of the Darius Garland experience: The lack of availability.
Garland has yet to make his debut with his new team. And, according to a report by Clippers insider Law Murray of The Athletic, it sounds like Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank doesn't expect him to do so any time soon.
The Clippers expect Darius Garland to miss more time
"Lawrence Frank says that Darius Garland is still recovering from the left toe surgery that he underwent this offseason, says that the sprain of his right toe is fine and that he is basically recovered," Murray wrote on X, adding that the Clippers are willing to wait for as long as it takes.
Some speculated that the Cavaliers' shocking decision to trade Garland for a player a decade older than him had plenty to do with his health -- or lack thereof. This speaks volumes about that, and the Clippers will probably face plenty of backlash for knowingly trading for an injured player.
Garland is a solid scorer and playmaker when he's healthy, but that's seldom the case. He finished last season limping his way up and down the court in the playoffs and missed the start of this campaign with an injury.
We're talking about a 26-year-old player who can't seem to stay healthy. While Harden might only be in Cleveland for a couple of years, what's the point of having someone who's 10 years younger but plays fewer games?
This isn't going to get much better. If anything, it will only get worse. Players don't get healthier once they get older; it's actually the other way around. Now, Garland's constant injuries are someone else's problems.
The Cavaliers got rid of an injury-prone player while adding a future first-ballot Hall of Famer and reduced their luxury tax bill in the process. It was a bold and risky move, but less than a month after the dominoes fell, it's become pretty evident that Koby Altman and the Cavs already won this trade.