James Harden agreed to a new three-year, $97 million contract to remain with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team announced on September 8, keeping the 11-time All-Star in Cleveland after he helped the franchise reach its first Eastern Conference finals since 2018.
The deal includes a player option in the third year and a 15 percent trade kicker, according to reporting on the contract terms. Harden turns 37 next August, and the agreement makes him only the second player in NBA history, after LeBron James, to sign for more than $90 million in guaranteed salary at that age or older.
Why is Cleveland committing this much money to a 36-year-old guard?
The Cavaliers acquired Harden from the Los Angeles Clippers in a February trade that sent Darius Garland to Los Angeles. Harden went on to average 19.2 points, 5.5 assists and 5.1 rebounds across 18 playoff games as Cleveland advanced further than it had in nearly a decade. Team executives pointed to that postseason production, along with Harden’s playmaking and experience in close games, as the basis for re-signing him rather than pursuing a replacement at the position in free agency.
Harden responded to the team’s announcement on social media with a brief message rather than an extended statement. The Cavaliers’ front office had been working through cap constraints for roughly three weeks before finalizing the terms, according to reporting on the negotiations, and the signing locks in Cleveland’s core rotation heading into the new season.
Sources: ESPN · NBA.com · Cavaliers Nation
