Cavs 2026 NBA trade deadline grade after James Harden, Keon Ellis, Dennis Schroder deals

The 2026 NBA trade deadline has come and gone, and the Cleveland Cavaliers made three deals before Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET cutoff to bolster their team for the upcoming months and new future, significantly chopping down their cap sheet to just under $4 million over the second apron. The Cavs acquired James Harden, Keon Ellis, Dennis Schroder, and Emanuel Miller, while sending out Darius Garland, De’Andre Hunter, and Lonzo Ball.

“We made a monumental trade to land James Harden,” Cavs president Koby Altman said during a media call on Thursday. “We think that he raises our ceiling and gives us a chance to have real playoff success. James is a top-75 player of all time, one of the greatest players in NBA history that’s still playing at an elite level. He gives us a different look in the backcourt. He’s 6-5, and he gets downhill, and he is ninth in the league in drives. He’s strong. He’s creative.

“I think he’s going to be great for our bigs. I also know that Donovan [Mitchell]’s excited to play alongside him. Obviously, this is not a trade that we took lightly. But we do know that James is going to help us, and so we’re excited to welcome him. Obviously, adding Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis, adding to our depth, our defensive prowess, we really felt like we got a lot better in this deadline. I’ll say this: It is very rare to improve your team and save $100 million at the same time.”

Additionally, Cleveland is planning to convert Nae’Qwan Tomlin’s two-way contract into a standard one; Luke Travers was also waived on Sunday to make room for Miller, a two-way forward who came from the Chicago Bulls in the three-team deal with the Sacramento Kings.

So, collectively, how did the trade deadline go for the wine and gold? Let’s break down the moves and analyze Altman’s rationale for each.

Cavs acquire James Harden, trade Darius Garland, 2026 second-rounder to Clippers

One way or another, we’re going to find out if Harden’s presence gives the Cavs a “different dimension,” as head coach Kenny Atkinson put it. There’s no questioning the resume: top-75 NBA player in history, 11-time All-Star, former MVP (and annual candidate). Harden is inarguably one of the greatest isolation talents the league has ever seen. He is also the quintessential big-man whisperer, with a proven track record of buoying pick-and-roll partners at each of his stops.

“Look at his game logs,” Altman said, emphasizing Harden’s stout 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame. “How many games has he missed? Played 79 games last year at 35 minutes a night. That’s a lot. And he’s still doing it at such a high level. So he’s extremely durable, and, knock on wood, for us as well. I think the guys that are playing at this level, at this age, it’s truly remarkable. It’s rare, but it’s done.

“You still see a Kevin Durant playing at a remarkable level, a Stephen Curry playing at an incredible level. Even LeBron James, to use his name. These are guys that are elite at their craft. They get better as they age, almost. They take care of their bodies, and that’s why they’re top-50, top-75 players of all-time. Yes, it is certainly older in terms of Darius, but we’re getting a player that’s playing at an elite level that’s always available, that loves to hoop, and is highly motivated.”

Altman shared that Harden’s representation and the Clippers first contacted Cleveland several weeks ago to discuss an opportunity. The 36-year-old pinpointed the Cavs as a destination that would allow him to thrive alongside Mitchell and a young, maturing roster and go after the Larry O’Brien trophy that’s evaded him in his 17-year career.

“That’s the ultimate goal, to try to get to a conference finals, a Finals, and win a championship,” Altman said, referring to Harden as an offensive engine. “We think without a doubt that James raises our level. James Harden has never missed the playoffs in his career. Think about that. Sixteen years. James has played in 173 playoff games. Over 6,000 minutes logged of playoff basketball. Playing at an elite level this year. That helps us. That was the reason.

“He knows this is the last piece to his legacy, and he sees a great chance with us. But he is also a savant. He thinks about things. He’s already gone deep into the depth chart of what we can do and different lineups we can put out there. It’s really exciting.”

Harden carries a poise that Altman anticipates helps in the postseason. When opponents take away Mitchell and primary actions, the Cavs will rely on his new backcourt partner as a counter.

“Really excited about when it gets to a chaotic time in the playoffs and we’re on the road, and there’s a fever pitch, being able to throw the ball to him and calm this thing down,” Altman said. Let’s get a good possession, right? Let’s get a good possession when it gets really, really tight, and it’s loud in that building.

“We’ve gone to the playoffs the last few years largely as a young team, not a very experienced playoff team, trying to figure it out. Now, I think we’re adding just a tremendous amount of experience and know-how.”

Cleveland dove deep into Harden’s teams that fell short of their goals in the past. Surveying those 173 games, the front office and coaching staff concluded that there were really only five that went badly, and they feel he wishes he had the poor elimination games back.

“It’s hard being the No. 1 option on a championship-level team,” Altman said. “I think the good news for him is he has another No. 1 option right next to him. He has incredible shooting around him. He has two incredible bigs from a defensive standpoint and skill set that really help him. And so, it’s not James coming in here as the No. 1 option, having to carry a team on his back and beat the 73-win Golden State Warrior world beaters, right?

“That’s not what we’re asking him to be here. So he elevates us, and we’re not putting that burden on him like it’s been in the past.”

Asked about Harden’s expiring contract, Altman believes Cleveland will be in the driver’s seat post-Finals, and that he wants a future with the Cavs. Altman mentioned that Harden has an opt-out in his current deal, which subsequently includes a no-trade clause that he waived to be there.

“I think that’s something that needs to be spoken about,” Altman said. “He had control of where he’d be traded or not traded, and he sought us out as a destination, a basketball destination, leaving lovely Los Angeles and an incredible basketball situation where he was at — to where he wants to be to compete for a championship.

“I’ve been banging this drum for a long time: Cleveland’s a great basketball destination. You can have some of the best years of your career here, and guys want to play here. One of the best players to ever put on a jersey wants to be here in Cleveland, and I think it’s a privilege. I think it’s a privilege and honor that we’re going to see James surpass a bunch of milestones as he chases this championship ring with us.”

If this pays off, it will be one of the shrewdest swaps in NBA history, but despite the Cavs’ understandable infatuation with Harden, it is fair to raise questions.

What will the dynamic with Mitchell look like when the ball is tipped? It seems redundant, even more so than with the shifty Garland.

Does Harden’s style of play fit in with a faster-paced, young Cleveland group? Altman understands the coaches will have to adapt to him, so that remains to be seen.

Will he spurn the Cavs if things go awry? Harden’s track record indicates it won’t end ceremoniously, despite Altman and Ty Lue’s insistence that his LA exit was amicable and professional.

Who’s to say this is the superstar team-up that finally works for him? With all the talent he’s played with, Harden has not reached the NBA Finals since he was in Oklahoma City.

Is this accelerating the process too quickly to the point of no return? Cleveland will have to figure this season out in 30 short games, and beyond that, maximize the talent around Harden and Mitchell while keeping a happy home. Whether tongue-in-cheek or not, Altman’s response to a question about the deal’s effect on the locker room says it all about the urgency with which the Cavs are acting.

“Maybe too much harmony, right? Maybe we do need to shake it up,” Altman said. “But no, we have great guys, great culture pieces.”

Cavs acquire Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder, trade De’Andre Hunter to Kings

Unlike Harden, who is expected to make his debut on Saturday in Sacramento, the Cavs have witnessed what Schroder and Ellis can do. In their debuts, both showed why the move was made last weekend.

“I think you saw how Dennis showed a fit right in and Keon fit in to what we’re trying to do,” Altman said. “Dennis gives us a different dynamic, downhill driver,” Altman said. “I mean, [Wednesday] night we just lived in the paint, which just puts a lot of pressure on the defense. We just didn’t have that this year outside of Darius and Donovan. So him getting downhill was really important for us.

“Keon is a really nice piece for us. Catch and shoot, can play 2, 3, can guard up, deflections, steals. I think you saw some of that. A wonderful, wonderful person.”

Between his playoff experiences and international reputation, Altman knows Schroder will add tenacity to the squad.

“Dennis raises his level at the highest level,” Altman said. “When things get tight and the stakes are the highest, that’s when Dennis raises his level. Dennis won a 2023 FIBA World Cup MVP, and then won the MVP for the 2025 EuroBasket last year. There’s like a handful of guys that’s ever done that.

“He’s real when it comes to competitive basketball. Those games internationally are one-and-done, too. And so, I love being able to add him to our playoff mix just because of his competitive level. Kenny and him go back. Kenny coached him. We’ve tracked his career closely. This fit right now, this year, for the Cavs, he makes a lot of sense.”

Altman alluded to Schroder and Craig Porter Jr. as “menaces” together in their first on-court action together. Consequently, Porter’s summer workout buddy Jaylon Tyson has emerged as a Rising Star and Most Improved Player candidate. Altman declared his rapid development had a role in trading away Hunter to the Kings.

“De’Andre came in and made an immediate impact, but you always have to look and say, ‘Okay, is this the right fit for us? And this year it just hadn’t been the right fit,” Altman said. “And as a front office, sometimes you don’t bat a thousand percent. And the great thing about Dan [Gilbert] is he allows you [to make moves]. You fail quickly, right? You pivot and figure out what’s a better fit. We’re fortunate in that we were able to pivot and find a better fit for us.”

“Jaylon has been a revelation for us. And so creating a pathway for him to be successful, minutes for him to be successful certainly went into that decision-making process, and we couldn’t be more excited about him. We talk about Evan as our future. We really need to start adding Jaylon Tyson into that conversation.”

Now that Schroder and Ellis have joined Tyson, Porter, and Tomlin as the proverbial tough group, the Cavs are set on turning the tide on their on-court personality.

“I think there’s characteristics that I want, so I want to extrapolate that a little bit,” Altman said. “Kenny wants to play with a different kind of attitude this year: picking up full, deflections, steals, pressuring the ball, getting turns in the back court, pressuring people feeling you on the catch, blowing up screens, blasting through a screen, and making the catch further out.

“We didn’t have the personnel for that. I think one or two guys could do that versus what we have now, when you have five or six guys that can pick up full and guard the ball and create havoc in the back court. And so I think that creates an identity. We’ll see how that evolves over the next 30 games and how much we want to use that as a lever.”

Cavs trade Lonzo Ball, 2028 & 2032 second-round picks to Jazz

There’s nothing to go too in-depth here with. Ball, unfortunately, didn’t work out, so much so that Cleveland had to attach its last remaining future second-round picks to get the Utah Jazz to absorb his $10 million contract. Executing this trade allows the Cavs to promote Tomlin to the squad full-time, as he has rightfully earned.

“Not only is he getting converted, but he’s playing real minutes, and he’s helping us,” Altman said. “So he’s been a revelation. I think, hopefully, it’s a great problem to have when we’re all healthy, and we have to figure it out.”

Cavs trade deadline grade: B-

Overall, the Cavs improved in the short term and ensured flexibility on the salary books going into the summer. That part of the trade deadline, especially the second, was a job well done. Post-All-Star break, the Cavs will only have five players who are 6-foot-8 or taller. Personally, length matters more than height to me in the current landscape, but it still stands out in roster construction among opponents.

Adding Schroder and Ellis to the mix to lean into a fresh, rugged nature was a smart move. As good as Harden is, and probably will be, I can’t help but proceed with caution, at least right now.

Plugging and playing is more for role guys than it is for stars, in my opinion. If the goal is to win a championship as soon as possible, historically, organizations that have made these kinds of home-run swings at the deadline have not won titles in the same season. Very rarely have they been the last team standing, period.

I do understand moving on from Garland, but it feels like it’s only the first domino to fall. If they don’t get the job done this year, count on Altman and his front office to wheel and deal for a roster fit for a championship.

For some reason, whatever we grade the Cavs’ trade deadline in 2026 feels incomplete.

Cleveland’s timeline has kicked into fifth gear. There’s no going back now.

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