James Harden to re-sign with Cavaliers for 3 years, $97 million: Sources

The New York Times • August 20, 2026 • sports

Key Points:

James Harden has agreed to a three-year, $97 million contract to re-sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers, including a player option for the third season and a 15 percent trade kicker, though the deal is not yet finalized.
Harden declined his $42.3 million option for next season to give the Cavaliers salary-cap flexibility, which was used to acquire Peyton Watson in a sign-and-trade after LeBron James signed with the 76ers.
Last season, Harden averaged 20.5 points and 7.7 assists in 26 games with Cleveland, helping the team reach the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2018 without James on the roster.
The Cavaliers lost several key players in free agency and trades but added former lottery pick Mario Hezonja, aiming to build on the progress made with Harden’s veteran presence.
Cleveland is currently $1.5 million over the NBA’s salary apron but may waive or stretch Cam Whitmore’s contract to create more cap space.

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