The Cleveland Cavaliers shocked the world earlier in the season by trading for one of the greatest pure scorers of all time. Even at 36, James Harden can still be a walking bucket from all three levels, an elite playmaker, and the type of guy who can take over a game in no time.
That said, he also has a long and well-documented history of subpar performances in the playoffs, especially in the clutch. That's perhaps the main reservation someone may have about him as he navigates his 17th year in the league.
The sample size is big enough to know when he's not fully engaged or in the zone, and everybody has watched him shoot his team out of a playoff game and end his team's season one turnover at a time. Kenny Atkinson simply cannot afford that to happen this time.
The Cavs need to keep James Harden on a short leash in the playoffs
While Harden's pedigree is undeniable, so are his flaws. He's not a good defensive player and doesn't even try half the time, but he can make up for it with his otherworldly offensive skills, whether scoring or creating for others. Once he's not impacting the game on that end of the floor, he becomes a liability.
Of course, everybody wants to have the best players on the court in a do-or-die situation, and the sole fact that the Cavs might even think of benching Harden is an indictment of this trade as a whole. They did it because he would raise their floor and improve their chances of winning a championship -- which he's done so far -- but the elephant in the room was still too big to ignore.
The Cavs have a true leader and an explosive scorer in Donovan Mitchell. At least, if Harden's shot isn't falling or he's having one of those erratic turnovers when nothing seems to go his way, they can always turn to Mitchell for a quick bucket and put the team on his shoulders.
It obviously won't be easy for Atkinson. He'll essentially have to undermine a future first-ballot Hall of Famer and get him off the court when he's not helping the team. That said, that's also a part of the job, and he has to send a message: If even Harden can be benched, no one will be safe and everybody will have to do their jobs.
Hopefully, it won't come down to that. Harden has looked comfortable and happy playing in Cleveland, and he developed chemistry with the supporting cast almost right away. But if he doesn't have it going, this team will be better off with Mitchell running the point and Max Strus, Keon Ellis, or Jaylon Tyson joining him in the backcourt to help hide his defensive miscues.