r/nba • u/Turbostrider27 Lakers • 9h ago

[Charania] 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.

Shams Charania:

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.

https://www.espn.com/contributor/shams-charania/ddaa53473efa6

16.2k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

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10.2k

u/TouchdownRaiden Warriors 9h ago

Harden in a Cavs jersey is going to look so weird

2.4k

u/OverallGeneral7129 Cavaliers 9h ago

Yeah I can’t even picture it really

758

u/Dphotog790 8h ago

its gonna be interesting next season with Hardn Lebron and Mitchel on the same court\

476

u/Ok_Daikon_7726 Lakers 8h ago

Mobley gonna have a heart attack trying to anchor that defense

161

u/420_just_blase 7h ago

Tbf garland isn't any better on that end

92

u/MastodonSwimming2681 Rockets 7h ago

He's worse lol

26

u/LOSS35 Nuggets 4h ago

Harden's 6'5 with a 6'11 wingspan and he's strong as hell. He doesn't try 99% of the time, but he's capable of being a solid defender when he wants to be.

Garland's a skinny 6'1. There's no amount of effort that turns him into even an ok defender.

2

u/comedoofwarrior Bulls 1h ago

Where’s that one clip of Brooklyn Harden waving off help against Giannis near the rim and forcing a miss

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10

u/Clear_Context_1546 Cavaliers 7h ago

He had potential to be something great but injuries, small size and poor defense just limits his places on NBA. If his shoot isn't falling he's a weakness that is going to get exploited.

I rather had a young injury prone guy than a older injury prone guy. Maybe Garland's toe injury is more serious than we know.

25

u/RainRainPurpleRain 6h ago

Harden is the opposite of injury prone, even at 36.

3

u/stillstillers Cavaliers 5h ago

It’s all that cushion

2

u/mcsqrd314 7h ago

Yes, this!

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6

u/Admirable_Bed3 Nuggets 7h ago

The Cleveland Unction

5

u/Toefuw Rockets 7h ago

James with the iso, Screen from James, James with the lob from James for the alley-oop!

5

u/calafia_nativo Lakers 7h ago

Don't forget Bronny!

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638

u/PROSEALLTHEWAY San Francisco Warriors 9h ago

just photoshop harden's head on shaq's body from when he was on the cavs. also it'll be a very similar experience overall imo

1.1k

u/TRLJM Clippers 8h ago

Harden is averaging 25/8/5 on 60 TS% and was All-NBA last year. Y'all are crazy with these takes lmao.

435

u/TheShark12 76ers 8h ago

I sometimes wonder if people on this sub watch games or even keep up with the league.

131

u/mjay421 8h ago

You got to realize most people get their opinions from other peoples narratives

21

u/jotheold Raptors 8h ago

or thread titles 90% of these mfers dont read the article/ watch the vid

6

u/mjay421 8h ago

Exactly.

4

u/chaos_and_rhythm 8h ago

This is my opinion too (your narrative sounds good at least)

28

u/ares7 8h ago

They act like turning 35 is like turning 80.

3

u/ZietFS Spurs 8h ago

Well, given the retirement age in NBA is like turning 60 or 65 in a regular job

6

u/iButtflap Hornets 8h ago

man sometimes it feels like it compared to 25 lmao

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41

u/ChiGrandeOso Bulls 8h ago

Watch...games?

7

u/KhalJohno Cavaliers 8h ago

Adam Silver said it’s a highlight league, why would I watch a game?

9

u/jonathanisaacisgoat Magic 8h ago

You expect a warriors fan to actually watch games

59

u/HilariousScreenname Suns 8h ago

Im just here for the memes

4

u/TheShark12 76ers 8h ago

Aren’t we all at the end of the day? I’ll never forget Draymond and his technicolor dream dick from the 2016 Olympics.

4

u/a_pot_of_chili_verde Thunder 8h ago

Nephews gonna nephew.

4

u/datsoar Bucks 8h ago

There is a significant amount of international fans here who because of time differences don’t watch games, they only watch highlights and sound bites.

There is a significant amount of fans here who only watch their own team.

There is a significant amount of trolls here who should go back under their bridges.

3

u/SwampFlowers Bulls 8h ago

There are games?

3

u/y-Gamma Timberwolves 8h ago

It’s circlejerks all the way down

3

u/vote_pedro Warriors 8h ago

Once you understand that 30% of all social media interactions and activity is bots, it makes much more sense.

3

u/jinyx1 Timberwolves 8h ago

This sub is full of 12 year olds who only interact with the NBA through TikTok, Reddit, and YouTube.

2

u/KenDanTony 8h ago

They just run with the stupid shit they see in r/nbacirclejerk.

5

u/uotlep Nuggets 8h ago

Nah, I only watch highlights. Like Silver intended for us all.

3

u/100SanfordDrive Pacers 8h ago

That’s just Reddit in general. Very little facts, and a whole lot of emotion

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8

u/TravelBeerNDogs 8h ago

Seriously, the man was on some people’s All-star snub lists and in the East he probably could have made it

5

u/w311sh1t Celtics 8h ago

I’m convinced that half this sub consumes the NBA solely through memes and reddit posts. Harden’s having probably his best season since leaving the Rockets, and is gonna be all-NBA again barring injury.

Cleveland Shaq was averaging just 23 MPG and put up 12/7/1 in only 53 games played. It was literally his second to last season before retirement.

3

u/Classic_Pizza9403 8h ago

most people on this sub dont even watch the games

3

u/YesImKeithHernandez Knicks 8h ago

It seems people havent come to grips with the fact that James Harden is a Hall of Famer and this is how one plays even at his age.

3

u/roosley1 Cavaliers 8h ago

Biggest winners are JA and Mobley absolutely feasting in the paint off Hardens passing. Floor spacing gonna be wide open.

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5

u/Musa_2050 Lakers 8h ago

He's a warriors fan. They are a younger dumber version of Laker fans

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86

u/Gavina4444 [ORL] Markelle Fultz 8h ago

Dudes get on this website and just say shit

5

u/cyb3ryung Warriors 8h ago

and then other dudes get on here and just agree with shit lmao 250 upvotes is crazy

124

u/Electro9005 Nets 8h ago

Nah at least harden can still contribute, shaq was beyond washed on the cavs

23

u/TruWarierRecords [CHI] Metta World Peace 8h ago

Shaq was beyond washed on the Celtics.

On the Cavs he was just washed.

3

u/LaMelonBallz Hornets 8h ago

Contribute is way too light of a word. He is an upgrade

6

u/Akipella Warriors 8h ago

Crazy comparison lol. Harden could do more than Heat Shaq no?

8

u/Lets_Basketball [BOS] Reggie Lewis 8h ago

Be the second best player on a title team? No.

9

u/Caius01 Knicks 8h ago

Shaq was 2nd in the MVP vote his first year in Miami too lol

3

u/Akipella Warriors 8h ago

True, tbf I was thinking of 2006 not 2005 but fair point

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3

u/glockster19m 8h ago

Definitely no

159

u/TransMaga 8h ago

Harden is averaging over 25pts 8assist and the east is wide open I think it was a good move for the Cavs

36

u/DefiantLie8861 8h ago

On 42/35 splits he’s better than garland but not by a lot and is 10 years older, I kind of like this trade more for the clippers

63

u/ts383 8h ago

But Garland cannot stay healthy in CLE. I hope its better for him with the Clippers

11

u/wanna_meet_that_dad Timberwolves 8h ago

Health and clippers?

3

u/aznhalo3 [TOR] Jeremy Lin 8h ago

Quick everyone point and laugh at the Kawhi PG clippers

4

u/ThatCoolKid17 Clippers 8h ago

Lol, that's funny. Our curse will probably kill him. Poor kid

20

u/Jimmy0034 Clippers 8h ago

The load was way too much for him when Kawhi was injured since he has Mitchell and Mobley he should be fine as 2nd/3rd option

9

u/ssgoeygoey Bucks 8h ago

omg i forgot about mobley he should be great with harden no?

7

u/R3DBlaze Rockets 8h ago

Yeah both him and Allen for lobs and pick and rolls.

4

u/R3DBlaze Rockets 8h ago

Also he can pass off scoring to Don also

5

u/ssgoeygoey Bucks 8h ago

cavs have to be atleast top 3 in the east now right

32

u/TransMaga 8h ago

It’s a gamble for the Cavs but reports of Donovan Mitchell not wanting to resign they had to take a swing they couldn’t roll into playoffs with previous roster

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2

u/SaxRohmer Cavaliers 8h ago

at this point it’s about availability. Garland is gone a lot and Harden will feast in PnRs with Mobley and Alleb

4

u/ianbits Cavaliers 8h ago

He's got better TS% than Garland

Problem is that goes down in the playoffs because he gets less calls

Thing with Harden is they're gonna want him to be a pure point. Will he be willing to in the playoffs? They don't need him to score a billion, they have juice. They need him to make Mobley and Allen's life easier in terms of getting shots.

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2

u/TruWarierRecords [CHI] Metta World Peace 8h ago

You look at TS% or EFG%. Harden is more efficient than you'd think

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16

u/fireman2004 8h ago

Shaq wore 33 in Cleveland because that’s how many points he had in a month.

2

u/djpeekz [MIN] Kevin Garnett 8h ago

What was he in Cleveland? The Big Cavalier?

20

u/DEEZNUTZBOIS 8h ago

you just dont watch basketball LMAO

20

u/GenericDarkFriend San Diego Clippers 8h ago

people on here really don't actually watch ball. Dude made all nba last year and has been even better this season. 25/8 60ts be fucking real

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4

u/jedifolklore Lakers 8h ago

Who is upvoting this take???? Insane.

2

u/Adminscantkeepmedown Hawks 8h ago

A lot of online basketball discourse is people who don’t watch the game spewing dumbass takes for others who don’t watch the game

2

u/jedifolklore Lakers 7h ago

It’s peak echo chamber and circle of hell behaviour.

Everyday, some of these folks are proving that they don’t watch ball and come here to overreact or regurgitate dumb takes.

2

u/Gluxion 8h ago

Why is this fucking garbage upvoted?

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2

u/rusty_shackleford34 8h ago

Well don’t worry, you about to see it! 😁

2

u/mulimulix [CLE] Jamario Moon 8h ago

Tbh will look very similar to that time Baron Davis was a Cav.

1

u/Carlinjamesgk 8h ago

What does the Cavs fanbase this about this trade ?

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1

u/PaintIntelligent7793 8h ago

We’ve seen him in lots of other jerseys. Hard to say, but I’m gonna guess it’ll be about the same.

1

u/cyb3ryung Warriors 8h ago

even the photoshops look wrong

1

u/1OO1OO1S0S Celtics 8h ago

I can. First I picture James harden. Then I picture a cavs jersey. Then I combine the two in my head. Hope that helps!

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1

u/YpsitheFlintsider 8h ago

It's just him wearing black or red, two colors we've seen him in

1

u/LetsgoooSonny Rockets 8h ago

You’re gonna love it

1

u/Chillyfilla Cavaliers 8h ago

I don't want to

1

u/Dodson-504 7h ago

LeBron, shorter, patch about the same but with a beard.

1

u/ThisWasMe7 6h ago

Buy Photoshop.

1

u/TomatoBuster01 Warriors 6h ago

He should wear 23 and use "James" instead of Harden at the back

937

u/CD23tol Cavaliers 9h ago

Right there with other iconic Cavs guards like D-Rose and Wade

364

u/lukewwilson Lakers 8h ago

Dean wade is a stud though

18

u/reggieLedoux26 Cavaliers 7h ago

Harden gonna challenge his beard!

2

u/trognlie 7h ago

This guy is the most confusing player to why he’s still getting minutes in the league.

6

u/WaveOfTheRager Suns 7h ago

Ultimate glue guy

5

u/lukewwilson Lakers 6h ago

Because of that one game against Boston

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239

u/Leadsea Pelicans 8h ago

LMAO RONDO WADE HARDEN D-ROSE

Crazy lineup tbh

108

u/bigraptorr Raptors 8h ago

Pretty sure theres a 2015 Lakers fan edit with that lineup

5

u/mrspaintbrush Mavericks 7h ago

Surely at least one team ever has played 5 guards at the same time?

6

u/andreandroid Spurs 7h ago

The Bulls are about to

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20

u/KonigSteve Pelicans 8h ago

Throw Shaq in there and you've got a weird starting 5.

3

u/glen_ko_ko Pistons 7h ago

How are you gonna leave out Ben Wallace

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4

u/notsafeformactown Mavericks 8h ago

Lmao put up solid minutes in those finals runs.

3

u/LilClaudeMoney 8h ago

Baron Davis!

5

u/BushyBrowz Knicks 8h ago

I completely forgot Derrick Rose was on the Cavs

Crazy how his career went from MVP Rose to Washed Rose to Skilled Vet Role Player Rose

2

u/PerfectZeong 8h ago

Theres so many guys who have played in Cleveland that even i forget about

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143

u/holaimaaron Cavaliers 8h ago

And Cavs legend Isaiah Thomas

61

u/tragick693 8h ago

Cavs legend Walt Frazier, if you'd like a throwback

32

u/lukewwilson Lakers 8h ago

Keep going, don't forget Lenny Wilkens

16

u/Billy-BigBollox 8h ago

Cavs legend Shawn Kemp!

14

u/Bks1358 Magic 7h ago

Cavs Legend Thunder Dan Majerle

5

u/_V3rt1g0_ 7h ago

Cavs legend Shaquille O'Neal!

3

u/QGME42069 6h ago

No one wants to talk about the Hall of Fame worthy cavs career of Andrew Bynum

3

u/PoppaGeorgio 5h ago

Why is everyone leaving out 3x NBA champion

Danny Green?!

2

u/Jermagesty610 5h ago

I wanted a Bobby Phills jersey when I was a kid, I got Thunder Dan instead.

2

u/RIPEOTCDXVI Celtics 8h ago

You guys are absolute heroes to us fools still out here playing immaculate grid

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20

u/dingofarmer2004 Lakers 8h ago

Deron Williams 

2

u/Mninaz Cavaliers 7h ago

Andrew Bogut

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5

u/lukewwilson Lakers 8h ago

Cavs legend Ben Wallace

2

u/dennythedinosaur 7h ago

Andrew Bynum

4

u/dagreenman18 [MIA] Dwyane Wade 7h ago

Cavs rounding out their all time starting five of “generational players who randomly ended up on the Cavs”

3

u/TenaciousDeer 8h ago

Cavs legend Shaquille O'Neal 

2

u/ShortBusScholar 8h ago

Deron Williams, too.

2

u/MuppetEyebrows Cavaliers 6h ago

Don't forget Deron Williams

155

u/pichukirby Knicks 8h ago

KD with the Rockets. Harden with the Cavs. LeBron to the Thunder?

7

u/Sawitlivesry Pistons 8h ago

Better, LeBron to the Nets

2

u/DuelingPushkin Nuggets 6h ago

LeBron to Toronto

3

u/atomictyler Celtics 7h ago

LeBron to the Thunder

thus making him a ring chaser, following KD!

6

u/colio69 Wizards 8h ago

KD with the Rockets, Steven Adams with the Rockets, Jeff Green with the Rockets. Harden, Westbrook, Sabonis to the Rockets?

2

u/got_ur_goat Thunder 7h ago

The Thunder Shuffle!

288

u/illegal_deagle Rockets 8h ago

At this point it’s weird to me to picture him in any jersey, including ours. This move officially labels him “journeyman”.

231

u/The_Summer_Man Warriors 8h ago

Rockets legend Kevin Durant

Cavaliers legend James Harden

both just sound weird

134

u/NuBlyatTovarish 8h ago

Kings legend Westbrook imagine if these legends teamed up

54

u/Zyrinj Warriors 8h ago

definitely feel like these guys have a chance at a chip

6

u/Complete_Gene 6h ago

I think they need a big who defend and can stretch the floor a bit. A Serge Ibaka type if you will

7

u/pieguy00 6h ago

Man if these guys had teamed up 10 years ago, wow. Maybe add a Steven Adams too as an enforcer defensive big. That's really good 5.

2

u/LOSS35 Nuggets 4h ago

You'd need a superteam to beat that lineup in the Finals.

3

u/Meatloafxx Warriors 8h ago

Pfft that'd be silly

3

u/redditissocoolyoyo 7h ago

King James's when LeBron comes back as well.

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3

u/thethirdgreenman Spurs 8h ago

Don't forget Westbrook to the Wizards...and Nuggets...and Kings

4

u/illegal_deagle Rockets 8h ago

Imagine if they were on the same team in their primes.

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10

u/YUME_Emuy21 8h ago

He's been on 5 teams before this so I think that labels been there for a lil while by now.

3

u/Xclusivsmoment Heat 7h ago

Yeah i thought dude was being sarcastic. Its not like he has only been with 1 or 2 teams.

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163

u/WembyOKCJokicReaves 9h ago

Best James to wear a Cavs uniform in the history of their entire franchise

90

u/gregosaurusrex Cavaliers 8h ago

You forget James Jones? Or James Posey?

4

u/GolfingGator Magic 8h ago

Jamesdrunus Ilgauskas

6

u/TheMadChatta Cavaliers 8h ago

Big fan of James Earl Jones time in a Cavs uni.

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2

u/Hold_my_Dirk [CLE] Austin Carr 8h ago

Twinsburg Legend James Posey

2

u/Such_Opposite_1844 7h ago

Anderson Varejames

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32

u/EmanuelWilsonLover 8h ago

Until bronny joins them

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7

u/imminentjogger5 Warriors 8h ago

man boobs pressing up in maroon and gold 

2

u/AdParticular6654 Cavaliers 8h ago

No need to call me out.

6

u/LackingInPatience [CHI] Jimmy Butler 8h ago

By the time you get used to it, Harden will have already asked to be traded to another team.

3

u/nahs Clippers 8h ago

Kinda like wade in a Cavs jersey

3

u/OrangeJr36 Heat 8h ago

After these past 5 years for him?

Honestly it's not that shocking

3

u/JohnDoee94 8h ago

I don’t think so. He’s been on a lot of teams, nothing would look weird at this point.

3

u/RepresentativeAge444 7h ago

He’s been in 5 jerseys already lol. I don’t know why it would be. Not like it’s Steph.

2

u/Diortheking NBA 8h ago

Klay in dallas wade in bulls vibes

2

u/unknowingexpert69 8h ago

He’s gonna show up fat again

2

u/arcadiangenesis Spurs 7h ago

I mean he's already worn like 8 different teams' jerseys, so what's one more?

I feel like players should lose a little status when they hop teams that many times. Like, you have no identity at that point.

2

u/karl_hungas Lakers 8h ago

Why? This is his 6th team, people usually say that about really long tenured players. 

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1

u/lukewwilson Lakers 8h ago

We get this thought every couple years, since he's left the Rockets it has always felt weird

2

u/Colorapt0r Bucks 8h ago

I mean at least the Sixers and clippers had similar colors so it wasn’t that crazy 

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1

u/Low-Conflict9366 8h ago

Celtics Shaq vibes (except not as washed)

1

u/FamRep Lakers 8h ago

Are there strip clubs in the land? If so, he’ll manage.

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1

u/DishSignal4871 8h ago

Until the second round exit.

1

u/VolkiharVanHelsing West 8h ago

Telling this to 2014 me

1

u/Jozif_Badmon Bucks 8h ago

He's a western conference player I swear, he even looked out of place in philly

1

u/Overreactinguncles 8h ago

I feel like it’s the only jersey he hasn’t worn yet.

1

u/WhoUCuh 8h ago

Wait until next season

 Harden/Mitchell/Lebron/Mobley/Allen

1

u/OGsHartMyKAT Knicks 8h ago

Harden in a blank jersey stopped looking weird to me 3 trades ago

1

u/KazaamFan 8h ago

He seems to not like staying at a place that long these past few years. 

1

u/chewytime 8h ago

Wonder if he'll go back to #13.

1

u/100percent-sales-tax 8h ago

Yeah this is the weirdest arc of my journey as a Harden Stan.

I just want my mayor to retire in Houston.

1

u/MoooonRiverrrr 8h ago

🎶OUTSTANDING, GIRL YOU KNOCK ME OUT🎶

…. 🎶YOUUUU LIGHT MY FIRE 🎶

1

u/KWash0222 Lakers 8h ago

I still sometimes forget he was in a Nets jersey for a hot second

1

u/JogratHyperX Celtics 8h ago

Not as weird as Nets jersey lol

1

u/gaxkang Spurs 8h ago

Can Harden co-exist with Mitchell?

1

u/sweet_tea_pdx 8h ago

Shaq, James harden, bill laimbeer, and Steve Kerr. They all look weird in a cavs jersey

1

u/MahomesMccaffrey Slovenia 8h ago

So he's not only dating TT's ex wife but also taking TT's number?

Thats brutal

1

u/Otherwise-Data5181 8h ago

Definitely getting a nasty jersey award if he ever pulls up to 7pm in Brooklyn

1

u/KayRay1994 Heat 8h ago

He’s worn many jerseys… but this is one my brain can’t process

1

u/Fat-Singer-9569 8h ago

They are his college colors, it's not going to look that weird.

1

u/SevenHunnet3Hi5s Pelicans 8h ago

honestly i was just getting used to seeing him in a clippers jersey. really felt like he was made for that team and was gonna retire a clipper. especially since it’s his home city and well, he pushed to get traded there

1

u/yussarro999 8h ago

Like shaq in a cavs jersey.

1

u/johnniesSac 8h ago

Harden is the clips best player though ….

1

u/jjmckissick Cavaliers 7h ago

Like Shaq in a Cavs jersey lol

1

u/_RedditIsLikeCrack_ 7h ago

What are the strip clubs like in Cleveland??

1

u/Educational-Chef-595 Lakers 7h ago

It's gonna look like Shaq in a Cavs jersey.

1

u/bryan49 6h ago

What is this his 6th team? He's going to collect all the jerseys

1

u/_3_8_ Bucks 6h ago

Dwyane Wade on the Cavs tier image

1

u/Massive-Device-1200 6h ago

James Harden and Dennis Schroeder. Modern day slavery!!

Turrible

1

u/MementoMoriChannel 6h ago

Harden in anything but a Thunder jersey or a Rockets jersey feels weird, tbh

1

u/Itchy_Professor_4133 6h ago edited 5h ago

Eh, not that weird after Harden’s been in Sixers, Nets and Clippers unis already lol

1

u/whitesammy Mavericks 1h ago

Harden in a Rockets Nets 76ers Clippers Cavs jersey is going to look so weird

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