Former NBA Player Praises James Harden’s Fit on Cavaliers

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James Harden continues to thrive following trade to Cleveland Cavaliers.

At the trade deadline, the Cleveland Cavaliers made a major change to their roster by acquiring James Harden from the LA Clippers. Though it’s a massive shift mid-season, one former player believes he can aid them in their quest for a championship.

During his peak with the Houston Rockets, Harden was one of the prolific scorers in NBA history. However, now in his age-36 season, those days are behind him. That said, the former MVP has successfully altered his game and aged more gracefully as a player.

Some might view Harden being older as a drawback in the trade for Darius Garland, but Chandler Parsons views it as a positive. While on FanDuel TV’s “Run It Back” show on February 23rd, he gave his thoughts on the Cavs’ new addition. At this stage of his career, Parsons believes Harden is more equipped to elevate Cleveland as a secondary option.

“I think James Harden is in the perfect spot in his career to help this team,” Parsons said. “He can buy into it, he can buy in to make this championship run. He’s okay being maybe a little passive for Donovan Mitchell.”

Harden has had a strong start with his new team, averaging 18.7 PPG, 5.0 RPG, and 8.7 APG through six games with Cleveland.

Chandler Parsons Believes James Harden can Elevate Cavaliers’ Key Players

As Father Time slowly catches up to him, Harden has used his high basketball IQ in a different way in the latter half of his career. While he might not be the scorer he once was, he is still in the conversation for the NBA’s top playmaker.

Harden’s prowess as a passer has made him a floor-raiser on every team he’s been on since the Rockets traded him. Cleveland has been no different, which is why Parsons has praised his fit on the Cavaliers. During his breakdown of the new-look squad, he cited how Harden will have a positive impact on Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.

“James Harden is a guy that kind of spoon feeds you at the rim,” Parsons said. “He can get you involved, he can make things easier for you…I think both of these guys are gonna eat more at the rim in pick-and-roll and lob situations.”

Cavaliers Big Man Already Thriving Alongside James Harden

Since he joined the fray in Cleveland, nobody has thrived more playing with Harden than Allen. The former All-Star is quickly joining the long list of big men who have benefited from sharing the floor with the high-level playmaker.

In the handful of outings they’ve had together, Allen has seen his scoring and efficiency see a notable boost. Among his standout showings playing with Harden includes notching 29 points and 10 rebounds on stellar 11-for-12 shooting in a win over the Sacramento Kings.

If the Cavaliers are going to make a deep playoff run, they’ll need production to come from everywhere. Donovan Mitchell has proven he can be a big-time player in the postseason, but he’ll only get them so far alone. If Harden is able to keep guys like Allen and Mobley involved to a high degree, Cleveland becomes a much more formidable foe in a seven-game series.

Kevin McCormick is a veteran sports writer covering the NBA for Heavy.com. After writing for Heavy briefly in 2022, he’s returned to the publication in 2026. McCormick brings with him over seven years of experience writing about the NBA in a newsroom and served as a credentialed reporter of the Philadelphia 76ers for 97.3 ESPN, ClutchPoints, and On SI. More about Kevin McCormick