James Harden Explains Why He Waited to Re-Sign With Cavaliers

James Harden declined a $42.3 million player option with the Cleveland Cavaliers for 2026-27 in late June. He did not agree to a new deal until Aug. 20, one day after Cleveland acquired Peyton Watson from the Denver Nuggets.

The contract runs three years and $97 million, with a player option for 2028-29 and a trade kicker, his agents at Equity Sports told ESPN. The Cavaliers announced the signing Sept. 8, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. Harden had said after the season-ending loss to New York in May that he wanted to return, the AP reported, but he waited for Cleveland to make other moves first.

Harden said at Monday's media day at Rocket Arena that he held off until Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman had gotten everything the team could get.

"This isn't the first time that I've sacrificed and done something like this, whether it's time, whether it's money, whether it's [role]," Harden said. "Like, this is — I've done this before. And the only thing that I'm missing is the championship. So, like, me as a thinker and somebody that just looks at everything before I do any — or before I react, this is something that I want to do, and I want to win a championship."

"So what does that look like? Okay, making the team better, making the team whole to where we can give ourselves a chance," Harden continued. "By the way, like, you can have the best talented team, which I've been on before, and still not win. So everything has to line up."

"So I think just continuously trying to give myself the best chance, and what does that look like? And then if I feel like it's worth it, then do it," Harden added. "And so we waited, waited, waited until the front office, Koby, made sure that we got everything we can get, and then we signed."

Harden likes where Cleveland landed after the offseason changes.

"So we got a long way to go, but I think I love the direction and steps that we're taking and where we are as a unit, from top to bottom," Harden detailed. "So we'll have a good training camp in Spain and then continue to build from there."

Harden made a similar move in Philadelphia four years ago. In June 2022, he declined a $47.4 million player option with the 76ers, as Shams Charania reported for The Athletic at the time.

He then re-signed for two years and $68.6 million with a player option for the second season, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Philadelphia used the flexibility that summer to add P.J. Tucker.

Cleveland spent its summer on several fronts. LeBron James chose the Philadelphia 76ers on July 24. The Watson deal involved five teams and moved Max Strus to the Clippers, and Watson signed for four years and $88 million.

Mario Hezonja also joined from the EuroLeague. Cleveland's training camp roster lists 21 players, including three on two-way contracts.

On Friday, Altman said the roster improved this offseason even without James.

Harden's deal will push his career earnings past $500 million, ESPN reported. James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry are the only other players to reach that mark.

Harden is also the second player to sign for more than $90 million in guaranteed salary at 37 or older. James is the other.

Harden turned 37 on Aug. 26 and is entering his 18th season. He is an 11-time All-Star and won the MVP award in 2018.

Cleveland acquired him at the February trade deadline from the Clippers for Darius Garland and a 2026 second-round pick. In 26 regular-season games with the Cavaliers, Harden averaged 20.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.7 assists.

He averaged 19.2 points in 18 playoff games before the New York Knicks swept Cleveland in the Eastern Conference finals.

Camp opens in Spain this week at The Embassy in Fuengirola. Cleveland opens the preseason Oct. 8 against the Boston Celtics at Rocket Arena.