Cavs, Clippers trade rumor of James Harden for Darius Garland is crazy NBA blockbuster news to wake up to

No trade is completed yet, but ESPN's Shams Charania sure gave Cleveland sports fans quite the news to wake up to on Tuesday.

Late Monday night, Charania shared on X that the Los Angeles Clippers are working with James Harden to find a way to trade the future Hall of Famer before Thursday's NBA trade deadline. And the Cleveland Cavaliers are interested.

Harden, the 36-year old lefty guard, is under contract for this season and then has a player option for next season.

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The Clippers have been hot, but they likely wouldn't mind trading Harden for a younger, talented point guard.

Reports have indicated that the Cavs would move Darius Garland in a deal to get Harden.

Harden is an 11-time All Star. Even this season, he's averaging 25.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game while shooting 90.1% from the foul line.

The southpaw has been held out of the Clippers' last two games for "personal reasons."

Ironically, the Cavs are playing in Los Angeles against the Clippers on Wednesday night. Cleveland's front office was supposed to be making the trip to L.A. to be with the team as the trade deadline approached. 

The Cavaliers would have to include someone like Garland if they're not dealing Donovan Mitchell or Evan Mobley, because they don't have a lot of means of salary matching with Harden.

Garland was the Cavs' No. 5 overall pick in 2019 out of Vanderbilt, and he's 26 years old. In this injury-plagued season, Garland is averaging 18.0 points and 6.9 assists per game while shooting 45% from the floor and 36% from 3-point range.

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If the Cavs really did work a Garland for Harden trade, it'd clearly be about the present and maximizing the next season or two with Mitchell and Mobley before potentially having to pivot down the road.

The current construction, with Jarrett Allen also a star inside for Cleveland, hasn't gotten the Cavaliers past the second round of the playoffs.

They already traded De'Andre Hunter to the Kings for Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis. Maybe that was only the appetizer to a larger deal.

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