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James Harden Somehow Got Paid Again
By Matt Schultz
Published:
The news from Shams:
He’s done it again. Somehow, some way, James Harden has once again managed to get paid way more money than he should be paid. $32 million a year, plus a player option and a trade kicker. Incredible.
This comes after Harden declined his $42.3 million player option for next season and became an unrestricted free agent. The chatter from the jump was that he intended to return to the Cavs, though, and that’s what he’s doing — with three more years of security instead of one, and an extra $55 million guaranteed. Incredible.
To recap quickly: James Harden turns 37 next Wednesday (August 26th). He was traded from the Clippers to the Cavaliers ahead of last season’s trade deadline for the oft-injured Darius Garland and a second-round pick in a win-now move. The Cavaliers hoped Harden would be the missing piece to help get Donovan Mitchell and co. over the hump in the postseason. The Cavs were handily swept by the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. Harden shot 29% from three in that series. Jalen Brunson targeted him relentlessly on defense. In Game 4, with elimination on the line, Harden shot 2-for-8 (25%) from the field and 0-for-6 (0%) from three. Harden was not the missing piece.
And Cleveland just gave him three years, $97 million. Incredible.
With the new deal, Harden also made it into this very rich basketball player club:
You gotta tip your cap to Harden here. He may be the poster boy for coming up small when the lights are brightest. He may be shooting 40.1% from the field and 29.6% from three in elimination games in his career (29 games total). He may rarely be in shape, blow up team after team with tantrum-driven trade demands, not try on defense, and have ushered in an era of unwatchable foul grifting in the NBA. But the man is the GOAT at making front offices believe he could be a winning player despite all the evidence pointing to the contrary. And it’s gotten him paid as well as three of the best basketball players ever who have ten rings between them (LeBron has four, Steph has four, KD has two). Harden, it goes without saying, has none.
Congrats, Harden. And congrats, Cleveland. Enjoy 46 wins. Sorry the Sixers snagged LeBron and you had no choice but to pay Harden. Godspeed.
Matt Schultz is a comedy and sports writer from Philadelphia. He’s written extensively for ClickHole, The Onion, and Conan O’Brien’s Team Coco. His work has been featured in Vulture, Deadspin, The A.V. Club, Paste Magazine, and other publications. Much of his sports journalism can be found on college basketball websites that don’t exist anymore (PhilaHoops Heads rise up…) email: M.Schultz@sportradar.com