A worrisome Cleveland Cavaliers report suggests James Harden could soon hold the team up for a bigger contract than the two sides were originally expected to agree to.
Yes, the Cavaliers were embarrassed by the eventual 2026 NBA Champion New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. However, every team they face this spring, including the San Antonio Spurs, was embarrassed by New York at some point. It doesn’t the Cavs did not have a very productive season.
They reached the Conference Finals for the first time in nearly a decade this spring, and Harden played a key role in that. After the Cavaliers acquired the 11-time All-Star before February’s trade deadline, Cleveland surged into the playoffs because of how he helped to improve their offense. That is why he is expected to return next season, and the team has high hopes for what they can do in 2026-27 with Harden around from the start.
However, he has yet to put pen to paper on a new contract, as the team looks to massage their payroll and find ways to improve the roster before giving the soon-to-be 37-year-old a new multi-year deal. Harden has been respectful in letting that process play out. But he and his representatives also know that Cleveland is one of the few playoff-contending franchises that see enough value in him to offer a new multi-year deal.
Could James Harden force Cleveland Cavaliers to give him a bigger contract than originally expected?
Unfortunately, the respect and patience that Harden has shown this summer is wearing thin, and according to Cavaliers reporter Chris Fedor, he could soon ask to get more in a new contract if the team doesn’t add more talent soon.
“If the Cavs don’t get [Jonathan] Kuminga, if the Cavs don’t get DeMar DeRozan, if the Cavs don’t get Peyton Watson, then James is probably going to say, ‘Hey, I was willing to create some financial flexibility. I was willing to be patient. I was willing to wait on LeBron [James] and Kuminga and DeRozan and Watson, and I was giving you guys the freedom to explore avenues to improve this roster. None of those materialized. I want to be compensated for that. Does that mean that he’s going to get an extra year? Does that mean he’s going to get a little bit extra money?”
– Chris Fedor (Cleveland.com)
The Cavaliers failed in their pursuit of James this summer, and while they have been linked to sign-and-trade deals for Kuminga or Watson, neither seems close to happening. DeRozan is a star who has recently been linked to the team. He could sign a team-friendly deal, and that could happen sooner rather than later.
Nevertheless, Harden is still expected to get a pretty good contract, and for more than one year at a time in his career, when age is clearly affecting his ability. If he truly wants to win a championship, he should help the team keep that financial flexibility to make a move during the season if they don’t now. However, despite not having many options elsewhere, he could put himself and his bank account ahead of doing all he can to win his first championship.
Harden opted out of the final year of his contract that would have paid him just over $42 million. The belief is his new deal will pay him somewhere in the range of $30 to $35 million annually.