“Nothing About James Harden Spells Champion”: Emmanuel Acho Goes Off Following Clippers-Cavaliers Trade Story

With the NBA trade deadline approaching on Thursday, teams across the league are scrambling to assemble rosters they believe best position them for the future. The Los Angeles Clippers, for their part, are reportedly engaged in serious talks to send James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

This does not appear to be a situation where the Clippers were actively looking to move Harden. He has missed the team’s last two games for personal reasons, and it has long been understood that he carries significant influence over any potential trade destination. In short, Harden wants a move away from LA.

Reports suggest the Cavaliers are willing to send Darius Garland to Inglewood in return, a move that would shift them down a path of youth. However, not everyone is convinced it makes sense for Cleveland, with Emmanuel Acho emerging as one of the more vocal critics of the potential deal.

The Clippers, after languishing at the bottom of the West for the first few weeks of the 25/26 season, are creeping up the standings and are currently 9th with a 23-26 record. The Cavs, meanwhile, are 5th in the East and looking to rediscover the form that helped them finish #1 in their conference last season. Acho warned them on Speakeasy that signing Harden won’t help them achieve that.

“I would not want James Harden if I were a championship-caliber team,” the former NFL player turned sports pundit declared. “Nothing about James Harden spells Championship. Nothing about James Harden’s career spells Championship. He is all the way over the hill, and James Harden has never been a catalyst for winning championships.” 

These may seem like harsh comments, but Acho has a point. He noted how Harden has never helped a team get close to winning a championship, and the only time a team looked deadly with him in the roster was when he was a 6th man in Oklahoma. He failed to deliver success in Houston (ran into prime Warriors to be fair), Brooklyn, Philadelphia, and finally, Los Angeles.

“When he’s ever had to be that guy, he’s not that,” Acho added. “So, why in the world would anybody want to trade for James Harden if they actually have championship aspirations?” 

Well, it looks like Harden has championship aspirations for starters. There’s a reason he’s switched teams so many times in the 2020s. It’s not working out anywhere, but he refuses to give up. He’s averaging 25.4 points per game and assisting 8.1. His playmaking has also significantly improved over the years.

Will teaming up with Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley finally give him the fairytale ending he’s hoping for? We’ll have to wait and see.