The Cleveland Cavaliers have made one of the more “win now” moves in recent memory. They traded away their 26-year-old point guard, Darius Garland, for 36-year-old James Harden. That is the definition of pushing your chips to the center of the table. With this being a move to contend for a championship this season, are they title contenders? Let’s dive into it!
Cavaliers Current Situation
After making the trade for Harden, this iteration of this roster has two years to win a title. This team has not had the regular-season success it had in 2024. Last season, they finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference and the 2nd best in the NBA. The team would fizzle out in the second round of the playoffs, defeated by the Indiana Pacers.
Through the first 52 games of the 2025 season, they are 31-21, and one of the players expected to be a key piece of their championship aspirations, Darius Garland, has played only 26 games. With the Cavaliers trading De’Andre Hunter for Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder, Garland suddenly became semi-expendable. After the news came out that the Clippers and Cavaliers were eyeing a Harden-DG swap, it was a matter of time.
What Does Harden Do for the Cavs?
It adds a secondary ball handler and scorer alongside 6-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell. Even with “The Beard” playing second fiddle in terms of the bulk of the scoring load, they don’t even need the offensive explosion that comes from time-to-time with him. What the Cavaliers really need is for him to be the all-time great facilitator he is, and he is having a great season. Through the first 44 games he played, Harden is averaging 25.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg, and 8.1 APG.
The franchise has enough talent on this roster is enough to contend with the rest of the Eastern Conference. From D-Mitch to Jared Allen and Evan Mobley, they have, on paper, a fantastic starting five. Their role players consist of the emergence of Jordan Tyson, sharpshooter Sam Merrill, and the two guards they traded for, Ellis and Schroder. The Cavs have a nice squad.
Are They Contenders?
I believe this team has the potential to make it through the East and reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2018. There aren’t any world beaters in the conference as there have been in previous seasons. The past two years, you’d have to get past the juggernaut Celtics or the Milwaukee Bucks with Giannis. Are the Detroit Pistons a good team? Absolutely, so are the Knicks. However, I wouldn’t call them world beaters in the Eastern Conference.
If they were to make the NBA Finals, I think it would be very difficult to knock off whoever made it out of the West. We know the playoff history with Harden, or the lack thereof. That, of course, is if they make it through the East. I have the ceiling of this team being the NBA Finals, and the floor is the second round of the Playoffs.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I think this trade makes the Cavaliers better for the next two seasons, but trading a 26-year-old for a 36-year-old guard with a subpar playoff history is a very scary move. If it doesn’t work out and Garland becomes a superstar, the Cavs could be holding the short end of the stick. Do you think this trade gets the Cavaliers closer to winning a title?
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