James Harden is returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers on a shiny new contract. The 11-time NBA All-Star has agreed to re-sign with the franchise on a three-year, $97 million deal, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Thursday morning.
BREAKING: James Harden has agreed to a new three-year, $97 million contract to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, with a player option and a trade kicker, agents Mike Silverman, Troy Payne and Brandon Grier of Equity Sports told ESPN.
Charania also pointed out this new contract
puts Harden in historic company, in terms of career earnings and age.
Harden’s career earnings will now reach $511 million, making him the fourth player in NBA history to eclipse the $500 million mark, joining the 76ers’ LeBron James, the Rockets’ Kevin Durant and the Warriors’ Stephen Curry.
Harden turns 37 next Wednesday (Aug. 26), and when the 11-time NBA All-Star officially signs, he will become the second player in league history to sign for over $90 million in guaranteed salary at age 37 or older, with LeBron being the other.
This is the second big move Cleveland has made this week. On Wednesday, news broke that the Cavaliers traded for Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson, as the franchise attempts to bolster its roster and ascend further than last season’s Eastern Conference Finals appearance.
The Cavaliers acquired Harden in February from the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Darius Garland. In 70 appearances last season, including 44 with the Clippers and 26 with the Cavs, Harden averaged 23.6 points, 8 assists, 4.8 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 34.8 minutes per game.
The Cavaliers reached the Eastern Conference Finals last season, marking their deepest postseason finish since the 2017-18 season. But they were swept by the eventual NBA champions, the New York Knicks, in four games.
