The Cleveland Cavaliers pulled off one of the biggest and most shocking moves of the trade season. Not many people thought James Harden would be traded, much less to Kenny Atkinson's team and for Darius Garland.
Swapping a 26-year-old for a 36-year-old isn't something that happens every day in the league. Garland was a homegrown talent and a fan favorite, and it always felt like he was one of the few untouchables.
Even franchise legend Larry Nance Sr. was looking forward to watching what the core four could do at full strength. In a Jan. 28 exclusive interview with Action Network's Matt Moore, Nance opened up on how the Cavs should've approached the trade deadline.
Larry Nance Sr. wanted the Cavs to run it back with the core four
"So I hope they don't do like a lot of people do and panic and think, you gotta start making trades because they're not winning the way they should," the franchise legend said, adding that they should've just waited until everyone was back to full strength.
Nance claimed that the Cavs were the best team in the Eastern Conference last season before all the injuries. For him, the core had a higher ceiling and just needed to be healthy to take another leap this season.
Fortunately, Koby Altman and his fellow decision-makers didn't feel the same way. They're now undefeated with James Harden in the lineup, all while Garland has yet to make his debut for the Los Angeles Clippers because of his toe injury.
The Cavs gave Garland every chance to prove that he could be the man -- or at least an elite Robin. He failed over and over. His development stalled next to Donovan Mitchell, and his disappearing acts in the playoffs were just too egregious to ignore.
More than that, Garland's lower-body injuries are a perennial concern. The fact that the Cavs willingly offered to replace him with a guy who's 10 years older speaks volumes about the way they truly feel about his health.
Availability is the best of abilities. Garland has struggled to stay on the court for a large chunk of his career, including this season. Even if Harden will most likely retire before Garland, the 26-year-old may not have many more years of high-level play under his belt.
Nance Sr. is a beloved member of the Cavs community and deserves all the love and respect he can get. Even so, the fans should probably be thankful that he had no say in the Cavs' approach to the trade deadline.