The Cleveland Cavaliers sent a clear message when they traded for James Harden. Essentially, they let everyone know that they were all-in to win a championship now or next year, knowing that he was a decade older than Darius Garland.
The early returns of this partnership were encouraging. Harden immediately raised the team's floor, and it seemed he was playing freely, with no pressure on his shoulders. Maybe that would finally translate to playoff success.
Fast forward to today, and that clearly wasn't the case. The Cavs made the Eastern Conference Finals in spite of Harden, not thanks to him, and after watching him lay another massive egg in an elimination game, the truth has become crystal clear: They have to let him go.
The Cavs can't afford to bring James Harden back
Once it's all said and done, James Harden will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He'll go down as one of the most dominant scorers and electric playmakers of his generation, and no one will be able to deny his offensive prowess and expertise. However, he'll also go down as the biggest playoff underperformer in NBA history.
That's not the guy you want on your team when it matters the most. He single-handedly let Jalen Brunson orchestrate a 22-point comeback in Game 1, and you could just tell he quit and didn't even try to come back on defense time and time again throughout the course of the playoffs.
His body language was off, his confidence wasn't there, and a player who has always been a defensive liability has no business being on the court when he's not making shots or creating for others. Lazy passes, avoidable live-ball turnovers, and failure to get to the line made the Harden playoff experience a tough watch.
Harden claimed that he wanted to play in Cleveland to win a championship, but that's not the whole story. He wanted to be with the Cavaliers because they could offer him some long-term financial security. That shouldn't be on the table anymore.
The Cavs can't afford to double down on this move if they want to be taken seriously. Not after what everybody saw in the playoffs. Sometimes, it's better and wiser to cut your losses and realize that a move was a mistake rather than just digging the team into a bigger hole.
Koby Altman swung for the fences. He made a calculated risk, and it was a move that most front offices would've made in his place. It didn't work out; it happens, and it's time to cut him loose and show him the door.
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