Court pushes Cavaliers guard James Harden’s hearing to Aug. 3
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The misdemeanor weapons case involving Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden has been delayed by more than six weeks, moving the next court appearance from June 22 to Aug. 3, according to court records cited by The California Post.
Harden, 36, was arrested in Houston over the weekend on a charge of unlawful carrying of a weapon after police said a handgun was visible in his vehicle during a downtown traffic stop and was not secured in a holster.
The California Post reported that Harden has hired prominent Texas attorney Rusty Hardin for his defense. Entertainment outlet TMZ later published the guard’s booking photo.
On the basketball front, Harden’s contractual status remains a major offseason storyline. The veteran holds a $42 million player option for next season, but league sources have long anticipated he will decline that option and negotiate a new multi-year agreement with Cleveland. Team and league officials told Hoops Wire that neither the arrest nor the adjusted court date appears to have altered those expectations.
After the Cavaliers were eliminated by the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals, Harden said he hopes to re-sign with Cleveland. “Definitely want to be here. I think we found something,” he told reporters.
NBA free agency opens in early July, meaning Harden’s legal matter will likely remain unresolved until well after teams begin negotiating new contracts.
Source: Hoops Wire
