Darius Garland’s first full season away from Cleveland is giving the Cavaliers plenty of reason to feel good about the move they made.
Last season’s deal was one of the most jarring and divisive swings in the league. The Cavaliers sent out Garland, a homegrown former All-Star who was still hurt at the time, and brought in James Harden - a move that naturally set off plenty of debate. Garland was younger by a decade, but he also carried injury concerns, fit questions next to Donovan Mitchell, playoff issues, and a long-term commitment that made the decision even tougher to swallow.
Now, early in the 2026-27 season, the early returns with the Los Angeles Clippers are not helping Garland’s case. According to Clippers beat writer Joey Liin, Los Angeles has been outscored by 68 points with Garland on the floor this season, which ranks sixth-worst in the NBA. His 5.2 turnovers per game are also the second-most in the league, behind only Luka Doncic’s 5.5.
That doesn’t erase the fact that Cleveland’s decision was bold when it happened. Harden has never exactly been the safest bet for a team trying to win in the playoffs, and his reputation for becoming difficult when he wants out has followed him for years.
But in Cleveland, he did what the Cavaliers needed. He accepted his place beside Mitchell, understood that this was Don’s team, and even put off signing his new contract so the Cavs could keep financial flexibility and add Peyton Watson.
The Clippers’ own off-court situation only makes the picture messier. The team was found guilty of circumventing the salary cap to pay Kawhi Leonard under the table and was essentially stripped of its star player and its future, but that’s neither here nor there.
Garland is still a good player, and he is not the only reason the Clippers are struggling. Even so, there were enough warning signs for Cleveland to believe he wasn’t the right piece for that moment.
Whether Koby Altman and the Cavaliers end up looking like the clear winners of the trade will take more time to sort out, and history has not been kind to teams that bet on Harden. For now, though, Cleveland has every reason to feel like it made the right call.
In Other News...
Cavs Could Face A Lineup Twist Against Short-Handed Thunder
The Cavaliers may be looking at a slightly different rotation when they meet the short-handed Thunder, and the ripple effect starts on the wing. Oklahoma City will again be without Alex Caruso, who has been ruled out for a second straight game after suffering an ankle sprain against the Suns, leaving one fewer defensive piece in the matchup.
Cleveland has its own lineup question to sort through, with Peyton Watson listed as questionable because of right hamstring soreness. If he cannot go, the Cavs could be forced into a different look on the perimeter, and Mario Hezonja would be in line for a possible first start in a Cleveland uniform. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs May Have Found Their Next Wing Fit Around Mitchell And Mobley
The Cavaliers latest roster shuffle brought Peyton Watson into the mix as part of a sprawling multi-team trade that sent Max Strus to the Clippers and left Cleveland with future draft picks as part of the return. It also fits the broader early-season picture around Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley, with Mobleys improved shooting giving the offense a cleaner look and making the teams wing choices feel even more important as the rotation settles in.
There is already chatter that Cleveland may not be done looking for another versatile piece on the perimeter, especially one who can complement the group without disrupting what has started to work. With the Cavs still sorting out how best to balance size, shooting and defensive flexibility around their core, any additional move would have to make sense both on the floor and in the bigger roster picture. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Title Push Still Carries The Weight Of One Costly Miss
When Cleveland pushed to add Caris LeVert in February 2022, the move was meant to give the roster another scoring option and a little more playoff punch. LeVert gave the Cavaliers four seasons of steady production, averaging 12.5 points in the regular season and 11.6 in the playoffs, and for a while the deal looked like the kind of calculated swing contenders make when they believe they are close.
The part that still lingers is what went out the door to get him, because the cost has only grown more painful in hindsight as Indiana has gotten real value from the draft capital it received. Even with a strong current group featuring James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Peyton Watson, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, and a 4-2 start this season, the old LeVert trade remains one of those front-office decisions that keeps hanging around the edges of Clevelands title push. [Read more 🡒]