In a somewhat shocking turn of events, the Cleveland Cavaliers have finally chosen to pull the plug on the core four experiment. Even more surprisingly, they've done so to trade for 36-year-old James Harden.
That move was met with some mixed takes. On the one hand, he's still one of the greatest scorers and playmakers of all time. On the other hand, the Cavs gave away a homegrown two-time All-Star who's ten years younger than him.
More than that, it was odd to watch Harden waive his trade kicker to go to Cleveland, of all places. When asked about that, the former Houston Rockets star admitted that he's still trying to win a championship.
James Harden thinks the Cavaliers have a legitimate chance to win a championship
"In Cleveland I see an opportunity to win in the East," the former scoring champion told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne. "They got a very good team, coaching staff, all of the above. ... I’ve never won one before. As a basketball mind I think we have a bit better chance.”
Of course, the Los Angeles Clippers' reluctance to give him a contract extension may have also played a huge role in his desire to leave. Again, he could've opted not to waive his trade kicker for the Cavs, all but killing the deal. Clearly, he's a fan of the roster and what they can accomplish together.
Needless to say, this is a massive gamble by Koby Altman and company. It also shows that they either don't think Darius Garland will ever be healthy or take a leap. However, they could also just firmly believe they can make a championship run now -- perhaps it is a bit of both in the end.
Harden can elevate Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley's offensive game to the next level with his pick-and-roll expertise, and he's going to take plenty of defensive and playmaking pressure off Donovan Mitchell. Even at his age, he's still durable and rarely misses a game.
Granted, his defensive miscues, lack of postseason success, and history of jumping around the league give the fans more than enough reasons to be worried about this move. That said, there's no denying that having him on the team will significantly raise their floor and ceiling. Will he be the missing piece Kenny Atkinson's team needed to get to the next level? Only time will truly tell here.