LA Clippers star James Harden could be on the verge of getting traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland. The 11-time NBA All-Star is under contract for another season, but it’s not guaranteed. Harden has a player option, which he could opt out of and become a free agent.
Moreover, since the Clippers re-signed him to a two-year contract, he can veto a trade. Here’s every detail you need to know regarding Harden’s deal with LA:
- 2025-26 NBA season: $39.2M
- 2026-27 NBA season: $42.3M ($13.3M guaranteeed, fully guaranteed on 7/11/2026).
- Trade bonus: 15%, $2.36M
- No Trade Clause
According to Yossi Gozlan, James Harden will lose his bird rights if he declines his player option next season. However, his non-bird rights are hefty enough to earn him another lucrative contract in the offseason.
Harden, 36, has proven to be durable despite entering his twilight. He played 72 games in the 2023-24 season, 79 in 2024-25 and 44 out of 48 games before missing Monday’s clash against his former team, the 76ers, citing personal reasons. Harden reinvented himself in LA and has only gotten better each year. This season, he averaged 25.4 points and 8.1 assists.
James Harden’s contract can be traded for Darius Garland in a direct trade
James Harden and Darius Garland can be traded in a direct deal. Harden’s contract for this season is marginally making less than Garland’s $39.4 million. The Cavaliers are a second-apron team, so such a trade works out best for them since they cannot aggregate multiple contracts to match one player’s salary.
Harden would be an exceptional fit at the point of attack. He can look to hone in more on his playmaking again after also shouldering the burden of being a scoring option in LA. Given how deep Cleveland’s roster is, it might offer Harden his best chance of returning to the NBA finals for the second time in his career.
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