After patiently allowing the Cleveland Cavaliers to reshape their roster this offseason, James Harden could soon be rewarded with a new, well-deserved contract.
Once the Peyton Watson multi-team trade gets finalized, Harden and the Cavaliers are formally set to hammer out a new deal, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.
Cleveland landed Watson in a massive five-team deal with Denver, LA Clippers, Charlotte, and Washington, subsequently inking the talented wing to a four-year, $88 million contract to complete the sign-and-trade.
James Harden extension set to finally happen after Peyton Watson trade
James Harden turned down his $42.3 million 2026-27 player option this summer to enter free agency, but he is expected to rejoin the Cleveland Cavaliers via a new deal.
As such, he mainly let the Cavs create a flurry of moves to improve their group, and the Peyton Watson trade should be the final one for both sides to officially start their negotiations.
Harden arrived in Cleveland in a 2025-26 trade deadline deal between the Cavs and the LA Clippers that involved Darius Garland. He averaged 20.5 points, 7.7 assists, and 4.7 rebounds across 26 games for the remainder of the previous season.
Despite just a brief time together, Harden helped the Cavs make a groundbreaking return to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2018, the first for the franchise without LeBron James.
With a much-improved roster due to the Watson acquisition, Harden and the Cavs are now looking forward in securing a long-term partnership.