Not many people thought James Harden would be traded this season. The Los Angeles Clippers had no incentive to tank because they didn't own their first-round pick, and there didn't seem to be much of a market for the former MVP.
Then, out of the blue, Koby Altman pulled his strings and got the former scoring champion to The Land. It was a bit of a seismic move in the Eastern Conference, and one that could define the entire Cavaliers season.
Harden's impact was immediate. He came with much more than his pedigree and a motivational boost.
His pick-and-roll expertise and playmaking skills have brought the best out of Jarrett Allen, and the Cavs center is admittedly living his best life. When asked about his new teammate, he echoed what most big men have said about him.
Jarrett Allen is thriving with James Harden setting the table
"He's one of the best guards to play with as a big man, and he just came in and made so many looks of mine easy," Allen told SiriusXM NBA Radio. "You just hear these stories about him, and now that it's happening to me, it's so true what all the other big men have been saying."
To be fair, Allen was already on the rise before Harden arrived in Cleveland. That said, having one of the best pick-and-roll operators of all time has made life much easier for a more aggressive version of Allen.
The Cavs big has been a double-double machine in February. He's done that with his best scoring average and field goal percentage of any month this season. It wouldn't be shocking to see him flirt with 70 percent shooting for the remainder of the season.
Of course, the Cavaliers still need to prove themselves when it matters the most. We've seen them peak at the wrong time way too many times, and injuries and misfortunes have also taken a toll on their playoff chances way too many times.
Harden isn't necessarliy known for his postseason success, but there's no denying that he's made them a much more dangeorus team and a more serious contender. They just have to keep that momentum going for when it matters the most.
This team already knows what they're going to get from Donovan Mitchell on a nightly basis. It's time for everybody else to step up and take some pressure off his shoulders. Maybe having Harden serving up wide-open looks will be just what Allen needed to finally be a factor in the postseason.