The trade between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Cleveland Cavaliers feels like a straight-up swap of starting point guards. Beneath the surface, though, the trade was also one between youth and experience. Here’s how much younger Darius Garland is compared to James Harden.
How Old Is Darius Garland?
The latest Harden trade saga was quite brief, with Harden being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers almost immediately after requesting a trade. In exchange, the Clippers just became younger.
The Cavs sent them Garland and a future second-round pick. In doing so, the Clippers just received a massive infusion of youth, with Garland being significantly younger than Harden.
Garland was born on Jan. 26, 2000, turning 26 just a few weeks ago. Harden, on the other hand, is already 36 and will turn 37 on Aug. 26.
BREAKING: The Los Angeles Clippers are trading James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland and a second-round pick, sources tell ESPN. Prolific swap of the star point guards. pic.twitter.com/IHhhhabJnX
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 4, 2026
The two guards were drafted into the NBA exactly 10 years apart. Harden was taken third overall in 2009, and Garland was taken fifth overall in 2019.
This is the first and only time in his career that Garland has been traded. Prior to this, he played the first six-and-a-half seasons of his career with the Cavs. In comparison, Harden was traded by the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Houston Rockets before his fourth season in the league.
With this trade, the Clippers get an All-Star caliber point guard to fill the hole Harden is leaving behind. So far, Garland has been named to the All-Star team twice (2022 & 2025).
Production-wise, Garland’s numbers have been lower than Harden’s. However, injuries have also kept the former Cavs guard from being consistent. He’s played in only 26 games so far this year, averaging 18.0 points and 6.9 assists.
Harden, on the other hand, played in 44 games for the Clippers. In those 44 outings, he averaged 25.4 points and 8.1 assists.
While Garland can be considered a downgrade, he is still a capable starting point guard. He can score at all three levels and also facilitate for his teammates. He’s also an elite floor-spacer who has finished a season shooting over 40% twice so far in his still-young career (2023 & 2025).
While his addition to the Clippers is an exciting new chapter, fans will have to wait before he plays his first game there. Prior to being traded, he was already ruled out of Wednesday’s game due to a toe sprain. Coincidentally, that game is against the Cavs and the Clippers.
This upcoming matchup will be the second between these two teams this season. As such, Garland will have to wait for a while before he can get revenge on his former squad.
