Pa Dana Gauruder | on November 11, 2026 at 4:45 p.m
Trade for James Harden last season worked out in the short term. Harden’s troubling start this season creates a $97 million cap problem for Cavaliers, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com expresses an opinion.
Harden is averaging a career-high 15.3 points on 36.4 percent shooting. His assists (5.7) are also down significantly from his 8.0 average last season, and he’s committing 3.0 turnovers per game. Fedor also notes that in Harden’s 359 minutes, the Cavs have an offensive rating of 108.6. In 174 minutes without him, that offensive rating rose to 123.5.
To be hardened was signed to a three-year, $97 million contract this offseason. Due to jersey restrictions, the Cavaliers don’t have many options other than hoping that Harden can recapture his old offensive form to make up for his defensive deficiencies.
Here’s more on the Cavaliers:
- coach Kenny Atkinson received much criticism during the conference finals when he said: “Analytically… there is an ‘expected score’ and we’ve won two out of three games” Atkinson said the Cavs trail the Knicks 3-0. Does he regret that comment in hindsight? Sort of, he said Joe Vardon of Athletic.. “I think when you look back on it and take the context of the question, I’m not sure that was taken into account, which I know was a bit of a lesson for me — like, you can just take a soundbite (and run with it).” Atkinson said. “I’d just say there hasn’t been a coach who has been more complimentary of the Knicks and more honest about our play and how they dominated us. So you live and learn a little bit with those things. But like I said, 99 percent of my comments were about how they dominated us. They were a much better team. I answered the question, how was it received (which it was) ‘And you lose. at 3-0, what hope do you have to give your boys? We’re getting a lot of information … and I’m not lying about that, but it’s never been like, ‘Oh man, we deserve to win.’ Like zero – zero – thought about it.”
- Riley MinixHoops Rumors has learned that the new two-way deal is for two years. minix resigned with the weekend club after he was refused from his two-way slot on Thursday. Minnix, a 26-year-old small forward, appeared in one game with Cleveland before being waived, but has seen action in the last two games, posting a combined 10 points and five rebounds in 27 minutes.
- Jaylon Tyson (sprained right ankle) is listed as questionable for tonight’s game against the Knicks, per Danny Cunningham of Locked On Cavs (Link to Twitter). He missed the team’s last six games due to injury.