Jalen Brunson vs James Harden
Brunson · Harden
Jalen Brunson: Day-To-Day (Wrist · Arm · Left).
| Brunson | Harden | |
|---|---|---|
| 74 | Games availability | 70 |
| 35.0 | Minutes per game | 34.8 |
| 26.0 | Points per game | 23.6 |
| 3.3 | Rebounds per game | 4.8 |
| 6.8 | Assists per game | 8.0 |
| 0.9 | Steals + blocks per game | 1.5 |
| 2.4 | Turnovers per game · lower is better | 3.5 |
| 46.7% | Field goal % | 43.4% |
| 36.9% | Three-point % 7.1 vs 8.2 attempts | 37.5% |
| 84.1% | Free throw % | 88.4% |
| 58.0% | True shooting TS% | 61.0% |
| 29.6% | Usage USG% | 27.9% |
| 30.7% | Assist % of teammates' baskets | 34.7% |
| 4.7% | Rebound % of available | 7.0% |
| +6.1 | Net rating on court | +1.8 |
| 13.5% | PIE player impact estimate | 14.3% |
| +4.8 | Plus-minus per game | +1.4 |
Where the gap is
from the numbers aboveJalen Brunson scored more in 2025-26, 2.4 points a game apart (26.0 vs 23.6), on Brunson's heavier usage (29.6% vs 27.9%).
Harden is the more efficient scorer by true shooting, 61.0% to 58.0%; TS% folds threes and free throws into one number, so the gap survives shot-diet differences.
Playmaking goes to Harden (8.0 vs 6.8 assists), the glass to Harden (4.8 vs 3.3 rebounds).
With Brunson on the floor his team outscored opponents by +6.1 per 100 possessions, against +1.8 for Harden; on-court net rating carries the teammates with it, so read it next to PIE.
On the books for 2026-27: Brunson $37.7M through 2028-29, Harden $42.3M through 2026-27. Whether either fits a trade is a Trade Machine question, not a stat one.
Splits
2025-26 · from the game logs| Brunson | Harden | |
|---|---|---|
| 50-24 | Record when playing | 40-30 |
| 27.4 | Points at home | 21.9 |
| 24.7 | Points on the road | 25.1 |
| 26.4 | Points in wins | 24.3 |
| 25.3 | Points in losses | 22.7 |
| 47 | Season high | 55 |
| 26 | 30-point games | 14 |
| 12 | Double-doubles | 20 |
Last games & contracts
test a trade in the Trade Machine →More comparisons
pick any two players →Per-game numbers and percentages are 2025-26 regular season from stats.nba.com; splits and last games from our own game logs; contract figures are cap hits from public salary data and can lag a signing by a day. Bold marks the better number in each row (turnovers: fewer is better).