Overview
- Cleveland traded Darius Garland to the Los Angeles Clippers for James Harden on Feb. 3, 2026, and moved Lonzo Ball to Utah the next day as part of a three-team swap.
- Garland told the Ball in the Family podcast that he 'got my joy back' in Los Angeles after returning to a lead‑guard role with the Clippers.
- Garland averaged 19.9 points and 6.4 assists with the Clippers while shooting 47.1 percent from the field and 43.8 percent from three, and the team went 12-5 when he and Kawhi Leonard were both available.
- Harden became a focal piece for the Cavs but struggled in the four-game Eastern Conference Finals sweep, averaging 16.0 points, 3.0 assists, 4.3 turnovers and poor three-point shooting.
- Former teammates Lonzo Ball and Garland publicly suggested the midseason moves cost Cleveland momentum, a line of criticism that puts the Cavs' roster construction and offseason choices under pressure.