Cavaliers' trade of Garland for Harden kept LeBron from returning to Cleveland

Published Jul 26, 02:47 PM UTC

LeBron James was reportedly very close to returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he won the 2016 NBA championship. However, the Cavaliers' decision to trade point guard Darius Garland to the LA Clippers in February to acquire James Harden proved decisive in James choosing not to return. According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, James had a long-standing personal relationship with Garland, who is represented by Klutch Sports. Windhorst identified three factors against Cleveland: James did not prioritize returning for family reasons, the Cavaliers did not acquire Jaylen Brown, and Garland was no longer on the roster. Instead, James will join the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year, $8 million contract, playing alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, and VJ Edgecombe, aiming for his fifth NBA championship.

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