The Cleveland Cavaliers have officially signed eleven-time All-Star guard James Harden to a three-year, $97 million contract extension that will keep their primary playmaker with the team following a successful season that led to an Eastern Conference Finals appearance.
President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman confirmed the multi-year deal on Tuesday afternoon, which includes a player option for the 2028-29 season and a 15 percent trade kicker.
In June, Harden turned down the $42.3 million player option he held with the Cavaliers opting for a new starting average near $30 million in an effort to assist the franchise clear itself out of all salary cap aprons during what could potentially be his final contract.
By facilitating roster subtractions and acquiring an active 6’7″ wing in Peyton Watson in a pair of recent trades along with the depth roster, the Cleveland front office freed itself of the cap room it needed under the first apron to ink his new contract, completing the formal paperwork only after a series of administrative moves and acquisitions needed to meet hard-cap requirements and regulations were completed.
For the aging Harden, his new contract alone puts him over the $500 million mark career total and he will be only the second player, behind LeBron James, in NBA history to pass $90 million guaranteed at age 37 or older. The three-year agreement pushes Harden’s career earnings above that of LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Steph Curry.
Harden hit Cleveland in January in a trade from the Los Angeles Clippers and, at the start of March after being named a starter for Cleveland, propelled a team that was previously at .500 after being decimated with injuries to a phenomenal 19-7 regular-season record in the games that he played.
Last season was one of his statistically strongest, as he scored 23.6 ppg, while dishing 8.0 assists, pulling 4.8 boards and converting on a career-high 88.4 percent of his free-throw attempts.
Upon his arrival in Cleveland his play and numbers remained excellent with a 33.8 mpg average as he posted 20.5 ppg, 7.7 apg and continued his elite perimeter orchestrating playing with Donovan Mitchell to help guide a historically successful season at home.
With this signing coupled with having star Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley under contract, The Cavaliers know what core starting pieces that they have set and will play to win behind with the seventeen-year veteran, as his signature is a huge deal as Cleveland seeks its deepest playoff push since the 2018 season.
While he’s brought his talent to Cleveland before through a mid-season trade, he has proven he deserves to be under contract to hold court for the Cavaliers who will aim to remain perennial title challengers.
