James Harden would love to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers subsequent season, but wants a long-term deal to make {that a} actuality. Because of that, Harden reportedly declined his one-year, $42.3 million option with the team, in accordance to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Despite declining that option, the 36-year-old Harden is working with the team on a multiyear extension, per Charania.
Harden’s new deal will doubtless outcome within the guard making more cash over a number of years, but at a decreased annual wage. The Cavaliers carried the very best payroll in basketball final season, and are reportedly looking to cut costs as a lot as potential whereas attempting to preserve an analogous core of gamers, per The Athletic. If Harden comes again at a decrease wage subsequent season, it might assist give the team some monetary flexibility.
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Harden carried out nicely with the Cavaliers in a short 26-game stint after a midseason commerce, averaging 20.5 factors and seven.7 assists. He put up comparable numbers through the team’s playoff run, averaging 19.2 factors in 18 video games.
Following the Cavaliers’ loss to the New York Knicks within the Eastern Conference Finals, Harden stated he believed the team “found something” towards the tip of the 12 months, that means he felt the team was lastly beginning to come collectively.
That, apparently, wasn’t simply lip service, and Harden wants to stay with the Cavaliers to see what the team can construct.
The Cavaliers have been among the many greatest groups within the Eastern Conference over the previous 4 seasons, but have but to win an NBA championship with the present core.
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Harden, equally, continues to be searching for his first title. Despite being one of the crucial prolific scorers in NBA historical past, Harden has reached the NBA Finals simply as soon as in 17 playoff appearances. That got here again within the 2011-12 NBA season, when Harden was nonetheless with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder misplaced to the Miami Heat within the Finals in 5 video games that season.
After a prolonged stint with the Houston Rockets, Harden has bounced round to a number of franchises in latest seasons. He’s seen time with the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Clippers, main all of them to playoff appearances, but by no means a championship.
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Assuming they will attain a deal, Harden and the Cavaliers will look to flip that script subsequent season.