After letting nine-time All-Star forward Paul George walk in free agency last summer, the L.A. Clippers shocked the world, enjoying a surprisingly robust 2024-25 season.
The Clippers notched a 50-32 record and secured the Western Conference's No. 5 seed, ultimately falling in seven games to the Denver Nuggets in a hard-fought first round playoff series battle. It's about as positive a finish as the team could have reasonably expected, given how questionable things were looking heading into the year.
Six-time All-Star small forward Kawhi Leonard missed the start of the regular season with a lingering knee injury. Even when he did return to the fold in January, he looked a bit shaky.
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By the final month or so of the season, however, Leonard started to resemble his 2019 Finals MVP-era self, giving fans hope the team could make a playoff run.
But the big three reasons the Clippers managed to win 50 games this past season stemmed from three other players: promoted shooting guard Norman Powell - who made a serious case for Comeback Player of the Year honors - starting center Ivica Zubac, and point guard James Harden.
Harden, in particular, looked better than he had in years during the regular season, now fully in command of the club's offense. Across 79 regular season bouts, the 11-time All-Star averaged 22.8 points on .410/.352/.874 shooting splits, 8.7 assists and 5.8 rebounds a night.
The 6-foot-5 Arizona State product regular play has likely earned him a raise, although his erratic performance in the playoffs (par for the course for Harden) could temper just how lucrative that raise winds up being. Harden has a $36.3 million player option in 2025-26.
In a new preview piece for the Clippers' offseason, Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron unpacks what could be a major summer of change.
Gozlan also recently hosted The Athletic's Clippers beat reporter, Law Murray, on his official podcast.
On the pod, Gozlan and Murray revealed what the anticipated fate of Harden would be this summer.
"As discussed on the podcast, Harden is expected to decline his player option and command some type of raise," writes Gozlan. "The Clippers probably want to align his contract with Kawhi Leonard's."
So while Harden is likely to opt out, it is still anticipated that he will return to his hometown team next season.
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Leonard inked a three-year, $149.5 million contract extension with the Clippers during the 2023-24 season. The deal will expire after 2026-27, when Leonard will be 35. Harden will be 37 that season.
"One structure that could make sense is a two-year deal in the $80 million range, maybe $90 million at the highest range," Gozlan opines. "A two-year, $80 million deal could start as low as $38.5 million on the first season."
Harden once again struggled to score consistently in the postseason. He had an 11-point night (on 3-of-9 shooting) in a 131-115 Game 5 defeat. In a 120-101 closeout Game 7 loss to Denver, Harden scored just seven points on 2-of-8 shooting from the field, although he did manage to dish out 13 assists and grab five rebounds.
"Harden is already 36 years old [he's actually 35, but will be 36 before the 2025-26 season starts], so under the CBA, he cannot sign more than a three-year deal with other teams. However, 35 and 36-year-olds with Bird rights can still sign for up to four years with their previous teams. This opens up the possibility of both sides going three or four years, but any salaries beyond the second year are unlikely to be fully guaranteed."
More L.A. Clippers News:
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This story was originally published May 20, 2025 at 8:27 PM.