James Harden vs LaMelo Ball
Harden · Ball
| Harden | Ball | |
|---|---|---|
| 70 | Games availability | 72 |
| 34.8 | Minutes per game | 28.0 |
| 23.6 | Points per game | 20.1 |
| 4.8 | Rebounds per game | 4.8 |
| 8.0 | Assists per game | 7.1 |
| 1.5 | Steals + blocks per game | 1.5 |
| 3.5 | Turnovers per game · lower is better | 2.8 |
| 43.4% | Field goal % | 40.7% |
| 37.5% | Three-point % 8.2 vs 10.3 attempts | 36.8% |
| 88.4% | Free throw % | 89.9% |
| 61.0% | True shooting TS% | 54.6% |
| 27.9% | Usage USG% | 30.6% |
| 34.7% | Assist % of teammates' baskets | 38.4% |
| 7.0% | Rebound % of available | 8.4% |
| +1.8 | Net rating on court | +9.1 |
| 14.3% | PIE player impact estimate | 13.4% |
| +1.4 | Plus-minus per game | +5.8 |
Where the gap is
from the numbers aboveJames Harden scored more in 2025-26, 3.5 points a game apart (23.6 vs 20.1), on Ball's heavier usage (30.6% vs 27.9%).
Harden is the more efficient scorer by true shooting, 61.0% to 54.6%; TS% folds threes and free throws into one number, so the gap survives shot-diet differences.
Playmaking goes to Harden (8.0 vs 7.1 assists), the glass to Ball (4.8 vs 4.8 rebounds).
With Ball on the floor his team outscored opponents by +9.1 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: Harden $42.3M through 2026-27, Ball $40.8M through 2028-29. Whether either fits a trade is a Trade Machine question, not a stat one.
Splits
2025-26 · from the game logs| Harden | Ball | |
|---|---|---|
| 40-30 | Record when playing | 41-31 |
| 21.9 | Points at home | 19.5 |
| 25.1 | Points on the road | 20.6 |
| 24.3 | Points in wins | 20.4 |
| 22.7 | Points in losses | 19.6 |
| 55 | Season high | 38 |
| 14 | 30-point games | 9 |
| 20 | Double-doubles | 10 |
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).