The Cleveland Cavaliers are set to keep James Harden for the long haul—and at a reduced price.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Harden will decline the final year of his current agreement, enter free agency and then finalize a new multi-year contract to remain in Cleveland. The move was anticipated since the Cavaliers acquired the veteran guard from the Los Angeles Clippers in February in exchange for Darius Garland.
Financial terms discussed by The Athletic’s Joe Vardon indicate Harden’s annual salary is expected to fall between $32 million and $38 million, roughly $12 million to $14 million less than the figure on his previous deal. The upcoming contract can cover up to three seasons, providing the 10-time All-Star with longer-term security while trimming the league’s highest payroll.
Cleveland is working to move below the NBA’s projected “second apron” of $222 million, a threshold that carries the stiffest roster-building restrictions. Harden’s pay cut offers needed breathing room, though the team still will not have traditional salary-cap space. Club executives now gain greater latitude to pursue trades that could add immediate contributors around Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
President of basketball operations Koby Altman is expected to be aggressive this offseason after Cleveland reached the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2018, only to be eliminated by the eventual champion New York Knicks. With Harden committed and the payroll lightened, Altman can begin reshaping the supporting cast ahead of next season.
Source: Hoops Wire
