Harden demanded a trade last week after the Clippers rejected his request for a two-year extension to his contract, reportedly worth roughly $40M per season, which would wreck the Clippers’ long-standing plan to max out their cap space in the summer of 2027, when many contracts, including that of tree-lover Kawhi Leonard, expire.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The ride stops here for Darius Garland, right before the best part. Just as the Cavs point their car toward its apex, they yank Garland from his seat. They trade him for Clippers guard James Harden,

James Harden is headed to the Cleveland Cavaliers, with the Los Angeles Clippers agreeing to send the 11-time All-Star back to the Eastern Conference during his highest-scoring season in six years, a person with knowledge of the agreement said Tuesday night. ESPN was first to report the deal was finalized.