Making a major trade during the season can sometimes upset a team’s rhythm, but that hasn’t been the case for Cleveland. As Jamal Collier of ESPN notes, the addition of James Harden has energized the Cavaliers.
“They are two guys that are hungry to take that next step,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said of Harden and fellow star guard Donovan Mitchell. “They’ve kind of hit it off. Been seamless, really. Two guys that are so passionate about the game. They’re both hoop junkies.
“Usually when you have that kind of synergy it goes well. With them, I haven’t seen any misunderstandings or ‘You should have went there.’ They’ve been pretty locked in on the court and off the court. Couldn’t have gotten better so far.”
The only issue so far has been injuries. Mitchell will miss his fourth straight game Tuesday against Detroit with a right groin strain, per Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press, while Harden is playing through a fractured right thumb.
Jarrett Allen, who was already playing well before the trade, said Harden’s arrival has boosted his confidence.
“The confidence is renewed,” Allen said. “When big changes happen like that, your view shifts. You have more confidence in yourself. … I’m just finding my rhythm. People pass me the ball, Kenny is drawing plays for me, things are just clicking.”
Still, questions remain about playoff success. Mitchell has never advanced past the second round, and Harden’s only Finals appearance came in 2012, when he won Sixth Man of the Year with Oklahoma City.
Central Notes: Harden, Mitchell, Allen, Buzelis, Potter https://t.co/0I5YoHkwbl pic.twitter.com/KtoAdQkfon
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) March 3, 2026
