Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden has a player option for next season. Will he decline it and sign a new deal with the Wine and Gold?
Cleveland Cavaliers star James Harden has a player option for next season worth $42.3 million. However, his salary for next season is guaranteed only at $13.3 million.
Most people around the NBA believe Harden will decline his 2026-27 player option and sign a new contract with the Cavaliers. Yossi Gozlan of the Third Apron thinks Cleveland and Harden could agree to a two-year, $75 million deal.
"Perhaps the Cavaliers can get him back on a two-year deal in the $75 million range," Gozlan wrote. "That would help subsidize a new contract for Keon Ellis while keeping Harden locked in through his age-38 season."
Harden has appeared in 18 games with the Cavaliers since the blockbuster trade with the Los Angeles Clippers. The 2018 MVP is averaging 21.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game in a Cleveland uniform while shooting 48.6% from the field, 46.0% from beyond the arc and 81.7% from the free-throw line.
With Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen leading the way, the Cavaliers are under major pressure to go on a deep playoff run this year. Cleveland hasn't advanced past the second round of the playoffs since 2018. Mitchell, Mobley and Allen have never gotten past the conference semifinals in their careers.
Harden is the most accomplished player on the Cavaliers. It's up to him to show his teammates what it takes to reach the promised land. Even though Harden hasn't won a championship, he's been to the NBA Finals and played in multiple conference finals.
The Cavaliers are in fourth place in the East. It looks like Harden and Co. will face the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the 2026 playoffs, although the Atlanta Hawks are only .5 games back of the Raptors for the fifth seed.
Once the 2026 playoffs start, all eyes will be on Harden and Mitchell to see how the All-Stars co-exist when the game slows down, but barring a surprise, expect Harden and the Cavaliers to agree to a new contract this offseason.
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