Not too long ago, crickets could be heard in Cleveland. Then the Cavaliers shook awake, making multiple trades and locking in their superstar point guard for another three years.
The Cavs have plenty to look forward to entering the 2026-27 season especially after landing Peyton Watson, the 23-year-old former Denver Nuggets star who has future superstar written all over him.
Watson should give the Cavs what they lacked in previous seasons — an athletic wing who can score on one end and play lockdown defense on the other.
Of course, like with any franchise, there will be long-term questions surrounding superstars Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, each of whom are at the stage of their careers where it is all about winning at the highest level, though Mitchell, 29, is considerably younger than Harden.
Cavaliers Superstar Out the Door Soon?
Suddenly, there has been plenty to celebrate this offseason for the Cavs … until ESPN dropped its annual Summer Forecast, where a panel of experts weighed in on some of the NBA’s biggest questions. Then there was the question of which superstar is most likely to request a trade next.
Harden made that list, receiving the fifth most votes among stars Anthony Davis (1), Kyrie Irving (2), Kevin Durant (T-3), Zion Williamson (T-3) and Jaylen Brown (T-5).
Of course, Harden just signed a three-year contract worth roughly $97 million. Even at 37, the Cavs are ready to commit to their 11-time All-Star at least until he reaches age 40.
Then again, it is not like Harden, one of the greatest offensive engines the NBA has seen, is a stranger to changing teams. In fact, the Cavs, who traded for Harden ahead of last season’s trade deadline, are the former league MVP’s fifth team in the last five years. That is hard to ignore.
Why Cleveland Took a Gamble on Harden
It is fair to say acquiring Harden was a rather ambitious decision by the Cleveland front office. After all, trading the 26-year-old Darius Garland, who has been an All-Star, for a player who is roughly (count ‘em) 12 years older and supposedly past his prime is extremely bold.
But the Cavs saw something in Harden that they believed they needed to get over the hump in the East. And apparently, they still believe that way, as Cleveland.com recently noted.
“The Cleveland Cavaliers have officially signed James Harden to a three-year, $97 million fully guaranteed deal, which includes a third-year player option and a 15% trade kicker,” an article in Cleveland.com read. “While the annual salary is slightly higher than initially expected for the soon-to-be 37-year-old, it serves as a reward for his willingness to be financially flexible throughout the summer. The structure of this agreement — taking less money upfront — was vital in helping the Cavaliers afford other key roster additions under the salary cap. Beyond the financials, Harden addresses a critical on-court vulnerability. He provides essential offensive stability, elite playmaking capability when Donovan Mitchell is resting, and potentially the playmaking key to fully unlocking Evan Mobley’s offensive development over the next few seasons.”
Harden showed his chops after landing in Cleveland. The former All-Star averaged nearly 21 points and eight assists per game and shot close to 43 percent from the 3-point line for the Cavs in the regular season.
The Cavs will need a lot more of that next season, especially in a revamped Eastern Conference.
Cavaliers Get Bad News as Franchise Superstar Expected to Request a Trade