The Cleveland Cavaliers appear stronger than ever after their deadline move to acquire James Harden, landing an 11-time All-Star in a blockbuster deal. The price, however, was significant, as Cleveland sent longtime guard Darius Garland to the Los Angeles Clippers. After seven seasons of growing into one of the franchise’s young cornerstones, Garland now turns the page and begins a new chapter of his career in Los Angeles.
After playing together for four seasons, Donovan Mitchell got emotional about seeing his former teammate go.
Donovan Mitchell Will Always See Darius Garland as His Brother
Just like in every other sport, NBA players tend to form strong bonds with their teammates, especially if they’ve played together for a long time. That should be the case between Garland and Mitchell as they’ve shared the court for four seasons.
Garland was traded to the Clippers on Tuesday in exchange for Harden. This move was to help Mitchell achieve his championship aspirations this season. The Clippers are clearly trying to rebuild now after numerous failed attempts with Kawhi Leonard.
The trade makes sense for both teams: the Clippers get a young player in Garland, while the Cavs acquire a future Hall of Famer in Harden, who can help Mitchell finally win the big one.
As exciting as the Cavs’ plans sound this season, Mitchell is not the type to forget the bonds he has established. After Garland was traded, Spida expressed his thoughts and shared emotional sentiments about his former teammate.
“Not many guys get traded and then want to sit there and watch their old team play,” Mitchell said after seeing Garland watch the Cavaliers-Clippers game on Wednesday. “It speaks to D.G. It speaks to where he is with us and where we are with him.”
“He will be at my wedding,” Mitchell continued. “We’re brothers first. Then all of this is second. It’s bigger than basketball. With me and him, it’s always love. We fell short of our goal. But it’s always going to be love.”
Harden arrives with the résumé of a former MVP, and Cleveland is counting on that experience to translate quickly in high-leverage moments. For Garland, the move offers a fresh start and a clearer runway to return as a lead guard, even if it comes with the sting of leaving a core he helped build.
The Cavs are currently in fourth place with a 31-21 record. It’ll be interesting to see how the new additions of Harden, Dennis Schröder, and Keon Ellis would impact Cleveland’s standing in the Eastern Conference, and what the duo of Harden and Mitchell would look like on the hardwood.
