Former NBA MVP and 11-time All-Star guard James Harden has agreed to a three-year, $97 million contract extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to his management company, Equity Sports, which confirmed the news to ESPN on Thursday.
Sources indicate the deal includes a player option for the 2028-29 season and a trade bonus clause.
The new contract was announced just one day after the Cavaliers reportedly acquired guard Peyton Watson from the Denver Nuggets in a three-team trade involving the Los Angeles Clippers.
Harden, who turns 37 next week, had previously declined his $42.3 million player option this summer to seek a long-term deal.
Cleveland acquired Harden from the Clippers at the February trade deadline, sending All-Star guard Darius Garland to Los Angeles in the process.
In 26 regular-season games for the Cavaliers, Harden averaged 20.5 points and 7.7 assists per game.
For his career, he has averaged 24.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 7.3 assists in 1,221 games (1,007 starts) with the Oklahoma City Thunder (2009-2012), Houston Rockets (2012-2021), Brooklyn Nets (2021-22), Philadelphia 76ers (2022-23), Clippers (2023-2026), and Cavaliers.
