James Harden makes his big free-agency decision
James Harden.
James Harden made a decision on his future shortly ahead of the official start of free agency on Sunday, and the 10-time All-Star is not going anywhere.
Harden has agreed to a two-year, $70 million contract to remain with the Los Angeles Clippers, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. The deal includes a player option for the second year.
There was some doubt that Harden would remain in L.A. simply because the two sides have had since the NBA Finals ended on June 17 to negotiate a new deal. Even though nearly two weeks passed before a new deal was reached, it seems like Harden never truly tested free agency.
Harden, 34, was traded from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Clippers last November following a highly publicized falling out with executive Daryl Morey. Harden averaged 16.6 points and 8.5 assists per game in L.A. His ability to take on a large share of ball-handling duties has made him a valuable piece for the Clippers alongside Kawhi Leonard.
The big question now is whether the Clippers will also bring back Paul George, who did not exercise his $48.7 million player option for the 2024-25 season. L.A. has not shown a willingness to offer George a full four-year max contract, and one Eastern Conference contender is looking more and more like a legitimate contender to sign him.
Want more articles like this? Follow Larry Brown Sports on MSN to see more of our exclusive NBA content.
More must-reads:
Trending slideshow: The highest-paid players for the 2023-24 NBA season (Provided by Yardbarker)