James Harden has bounced around to a number of different teams in recent years, including most recently when he was traded from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and pushed back at the notion of the importance of player “loyalty” in the NBA.

“At the end of the day, it’s basketball,” he told reporters following Cleveland’s win over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday (7:25 mark). “And the whole quote unquote loyalty thing is overrated. This is a business at the end of the day. And there’s a lot of money involved, and a lot of decisions that have to be made. 

“If a player isn’t producing, or if you don’t see him in the future, or those in the front office have to do their job … they trade players. Or if a guy isn’t happy and wants to be traded somewhere else, it’s a problem. There are just so many different dynamics that go into it. Not even just the NBA, people who have normal jobs have those same problems. They just aren’t magnified.”

Harden also said he feels he doesn’t get credit for how much he’s sacrificed, including financially, during his career.

“This is a business at the end of the day, so players should ultimately do what’s best for them,” he said. “And the front office does what’s best for them.”

Harden started his career on the Oklahoma City Thunder and has since played for the Houston Rockets, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Clippers and Cavaliers. Much of his movement has come recently, as the Cavaliers are his fourth team since 2022.

He is far from the only star in the league to move around, as headline players such as LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Luka Dončić and his new teammate, Donovan Mitchell, have been on multiple teams.

Rumors surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has been with the Milwaukee Bucks his entire career, was also the dominant NBA storyline ahead of the trade deadline.

For every Stephen Curry remaining with one team for more than a decade, there are far more notable players who bounce around the league.

Wizards-Cavaliers Full Highlights

Harden’s movement has generated more attention than most, though, as he was traded from a promising Thunder team that also featured Durant and Russell Westbrook early in his career.

His relationship with Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey was also under the spotlight in the past, and a Nets team that included Durant and Kyrie Irving failed to live up to expectations before they were all moved.

Harden’s latest move at least gives him a chance to compete for a deep playoff run, as the Cavaliers are fourth in the Eastern Conference and just 1.5 games behind the second-seeded Boston Celtics.

They are also 2-0 in games Harden plays and notched a victory Wednesday in part because of his double-double of 13 points and 11 assists.