With the 2026 NBA trade deadline just days away, the rumour mill is spinning faster than ever.
Harden has missed two consecutive games for what the team has listed as personal reasons.
When asked about the former MVP’s sudden absence, Clippers head coach Ty Lue had little insight to offer.
“I just know he was home in Phoenix, and just personal reasons, so I’m not sure,” the bench boss said on Monday before L.A. hosted the Philadelphia 76ers.
Lue was asked about the news after the Clippers loss and refrained from commenting on trade speculation, but added “(Harden) means a lot” to the franchise and that “who wouldn’t want to have James.”
ESPN’s Shams Charania added to the developing story, reporting on Monday night that the Clippers are working with Harden to see if they can find a mutually agreed-upon deal by Thursday’s deadline, and both sides have been aligned in their conversations.
That is notable as Harden has an implicit no-trade clause, according to Iko. Based on the current CBA, players who return to their current team on a one- or two-year deal with a player option are given that veto power.
The 11-time all-star re-signed with his hometown ball club last off-season on a two-year, $81.5 million deal that included a $42.3 million player option for 2026-27. Both he and Garland are making $39 million for the 2025-26 campaign.
Iko added that the Cavaliers have been interested in Harden since December and are “at the forefront” of teams to express interest in the veteran guard’s services.
The 36-year-old is averaging 25.4 points (his highest scoring average since 2019-20), 4.8 rebounds, 8.1 assists and 1.3 steals through 44 appearances.
Los Angeles has largely disappointed this season, however, sitting ninth in the West with a 23-25 record entering Monday despite its veteran-laden roster. But the team has been heating up — in large part thanks to Harden’s impact — after an 11-21 start to go 12-4 since 2026 began, including 8-2 in their last 10.
As for Garland, the Clippers have had a long-standing interest in the seventh-year guard, per Iko, despite what’s been another injury-riddled campaign. The 26-year-old has only appeared in 26 games, missing Cleveland’s last eight with a toe strain. Garland has averaged 18.0 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 6.9 assists in that span.
Aside from his lack of availability this season, the Cavaliers’ motivation for moving on from Garland could also be financially driven. Cleveland is the only team above the second apron in the NBA — approximately $15 million over — and Garland is owed $86 million through 2028. While over the second apron, the CBA restricts the Cavaliers from aggregating multiple player salaries in a trade, nor can they take back more money than they send out.
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Cleveland has already made moves to address that situation, trading away De’Andre Hunter in exchange for Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis from the Sacramento Kings on Sunday as part of a three-team deal with the Chicago Bulls.
The deal saved the Cavaliers just $6.9 million in actual salary but approximately $40 million in luxury tax payments — Hunter had two-years, $48 million remaining on his deal.
As for the basketball of it all, the deal would get the Clippers a younger guard, who’s under contract for the foreseeable future, as they decide what to do in the final seasons of Kawhi Leonard’s current deal. Leonard, 34, is owed $100 million through 2027 before unrestricted free agency. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers would get a workhorse floor general — Harden has missed just five games this season — that would alleviate some of the ball-handling pressures on star guard Donovan Mitchell.
Cleveland also started the season slower than anticipated — 19-16 by the end of December — looking far removed from last year’s 64-win squad, but has since gone 11-5 and won eight of its previous 10 to climb up to fifth in the East.
It’s worth noting that the Clippers could only trade up to two first-round picks in 2030 and 2032, in addition to a swap in 2031, in any deals made at the deadline due to the Stepien Rule, which prohibits teams from trading first-round picks in consecutive years.
The Oklahoma City Thunder control the Clippers’ 2026 first-round pick from the Paul George deal in 2019, and the 76ers control the Clippers’ 2028 first-round pick from the deal that landed Harden in LA back in 2023.
Fans of both teams will have to wait and see if the two sides can come to an agreement before Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET deadline.
