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[Saba Sports News] James Harden may have fallen short in the playoffs once again, but it appears he won’t be jumping ship this offseason.
According to Clippers beat writer Law Murray of The Athletic, Harden is expected to opt out of his \$36.3 million player option and re-sign with the LA Clippers on a new deal that matches the timeline of Kawhi Leonard’s contract.
Speaking on The Yossi Gozlan Podcast, Murray said, “I just expect James Harden to opt out and get a deal that lines up with Kawhi Leonard. And that would make 2027 the big year to really look at doing something for the Clippers.”
Despite turning 36 in August, Harden enjoyed a strong regular season in Los Angeles, averaging 22.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per game while helping the Clippers win 50 games. He earned his first All-Star selection since 2022 and extended his career-long streak of never missing the playoffs — all while Leonard was limited to just 37 games due to injury.
However, Harden’s playoff struggles resurfaced. His scoring dipped to 18.7 points per game during the Clippers’ first-round loss to the Denver Nuggets, capped off by a disappointing Game 7 performance that drew heavy criticism.
Still, with his age and history of postseason inconsistency, Harden appears content staying with his hometown team.
Re-signing with a contract aligned to Leonard’s would not only provide some roster stability in the short term — allowing the Clippers to make use of the midlevel exception and trade assets — but it also sets up a potential franchise reset in 2027 when both stars’ contracts expire.