Cavaliers to Re-Sign James Harden After Blockbuster Peyton Watson Trade

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Cleveland Cavaliers will now re-sign James Harden after getting Peyton Watson from the Denver Nuggets.

Harden has been waiting to sign his new deal with the Cavaliers to give the team financial flexibility to acquire Watson. 

The Nuggets, Cavaliers and LA Clippers have agreed on a trade that will send Watson to Cleveland and Max Strus to Los Angeles. As part of the multi-team deal, Denver will receive an unprotected 2031 Cavaliers first-round pick and a 2032 Sacramento Kings second-rounder.  

Watson will sign a new four-year, $88 million deal to join the Cavaliers. The deal includes a player option and a trade kicker.

The Cavaliers made the conference finals last season, losing to the New York Knicks in four quick games. Harden averaged 20.5 points and 7.7 assists per game for Cleveland in the regular season and 19.2 points and 5.5 assists per game in the playoffs. The 2017-18 MVP still hasn't won a championship.

Head coach Kenny Atkinson will start Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Watson, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen next season. On paper, that looks like a lethal starting lineup. 

For the Nuggets last season, Watson averaged 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game while shooting 49.1% from the field, 41.1% from beyond the arc and 73.0% from the free-throw line. He's one of the best two-way wings in the NBA.

The Cavaliers lost Dean Wade to the Philadelphia 76ers, Keon Ellis to the Brooklyn Nets and Larry Nance Jr. to the Indiana Pacers this summer. LeBron James signed with the 76ers instead of coming home and Dennis Schroder was traded to the Charlotte Hornets. 

Cleveland signed Mario Hezonja after LeBron signed with Philadelphia. The Wine and Gold also signed Mitchell to a four-year, $273 million maximum contract extension. 

Without LeBron, the Cavaliers' core remains the same: Harden, Mitchell, Mobley and Allen. We'll see if that core can get over the hump next season after adding Watson.