NBA: James Harden is joining the Cleveland Cavaliers as part of Darius Garland’s trade with the Los Angeles Clippers

“As much as I wanted to stay in L.A. and try, I’ve never won a title before. As someone who’s into basketball, I think we have a little better chance.”

Harden helped the Clippers climb the standings after a poor 6-21 start to the season, but he missed Sunday’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers while talks with the Cavaliers progress.

Harden, who won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award in 2018 while with the Houston Rockets, denied speculation that he had requested a trade from the Clippers.

“That was not the case at all. In life, not even just in basketball, when things aren’t going well, there are ways to end things in relationships without having to break each other up,” he said.

“Maybe we don’t see a future with each other. Maybe we’ve outdone each other. Whatever the case may be, I feel like our situations weren’t like that.”

Across his tenures with five franchises, Harden has scored 28,805 points, which places him ninth on the NBA’s all-time list.

The Cavaliers have not won a title since 2016.

Garland, 26, is averaging 18 points this season in a season plagued by injuries.

As part of the trade, the Clippers acquired a second-round pick of this year’s draft.

The Clippers host the Cavaliers on Wednesday, but Harden and Garland must pass medical examinations before the deal is confirmed.