Chris Paul didn’t mean to shape the Cavaliers’ backcourt chemistry, but that’s exactly what happened.
When Cleveland traded for James Harden last February, plenty of Cavs fans worried the fit might get messy. The concern wasn’t Harden’s ability.
It was the obvious question of how he’d mesh with Donovan Mitchell, another ball-dominant star who needs the ball to do his best work. But the partnership didn’t unravel.
In fact, the two guards clicked quickly.
Mitchell recently explained why on the Cousins podcast with hosts Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady. He said it was easy to work with Harden because the two already knew each other, and that history mattered.
During Harden’s Rockets years and Mitchell’s time with the Utah Jazz, the pair spent summers together on Adidas trips around the world, and Chris Paul was part of those gatherings too. Mitchell got to watch Harden and Paul talk through the game, and that became a reference point for him later when he teamed with Harden in Cleveland.
That detail matters because Mitchell wasn’t just around Harden in passing. He spent multiple summers listening to Harden and Paul break down actions and coverages, and he saw firsthand how two elite guards can share a floor without stepping on each other. Mitchell has also talked before about working out with Harden and Paul in Houston during parts of those summers, and he has credited Paul - along with Paul George - for helping convince him to stay in the 2017 draft.
Paul’s part in this was accidental, of course. He wasn’t trying to set up a future Cavaliers pairing. But his example gave Mitchell a blueprint, and that blueprint paid off once Harden arrived in Cleveland.
Harden deserves plenty of credit, too. Mitchell has said Harden immediately deferred to him when he joined the Cavs, making it clear the team was Mitchell’s. Harden also leaned into his passing and court vision throughout the season, and at this stage of his career, his focus on winning helped keep any ego issues from surfacing.
So the chemistry that came together fast last season wasn’t a mystery after all. It came from prior familiarity, Mitchell’s years of absorbing how Harden and Paul communicated, and Harden’s willingness to fit in.
If Cleveland wants to get closer to the Finals in 2026-27 than it did last year, that same formula will need to hold.
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