James Harden vs LeBron James
Harden · James
| Harden | James | |
|---|---|---|
| 70 | Games availability | 60 |
| 34.8 | Minutes per game | 33.2 |
| 23.6 | Points per game | 20.9 |
| 4.8 | Rebounds per game | 6.1 |
| 8.0 | Assists per game | 7.2 |
| 1.5 | Steals + blocks per game | 1.8 |
| 3.5 | Turnovers per game · lower is better | 3.0 |
| 43.4% | Field goal % | 51.5% |
| 37.5% | Three-point % 8.2 vs 4.1 attempts | 31.7% |
| 88.4% | Free throw % | 73.7% |
| 61.0% | True shooting TS% | 59.4% |
| 27.9% | Usage USG% | 26.2% |
| 34.7% | Assist % of teammates' baskets | 33.8% |
| 7.0% | Rebound % of available | 9.3% |
| +1.8 | Net rating on court | +2.6 |
| 14.3% | PIE player impact estimate | 15.4% |
| +1.4 | Plus-minus per game | +2.0 |
Where the gap is
from the numbers aboveJames Harden scored more in 2025-26, 2.7 points a game apart (23.6 vs 20.9), on Harden's heavier usage (27.9% vs 26.2%).
Harden is the more efficient scorer by true shooting, 61.0% to 59.4%; TS% folds threes and free throws into one number, so the gap survives shot-diet differences.
Playmaking goes to Harden (8.0 vs 7.2 assists), the glass to James (6.1 vs 4.8 rebounds).
Availability is part of the comparison: Harden played 10 more games (70 vs 60 of 82).
With James on the floor his team outscored opponents by +2.6 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, James $3.9M through 2027-28. Whether either fits a trade is a Trade Machine question, not a stat one.
Splits
2025-26 · from the game logs| Harden | James | |
|---|---|---|
| 40-30 | Record when playing | 39-21 |
| 21.9 | Points at home | 20.7 |
| 25.1 | Points on the road | 21.2 |
| 24.3 | Points in wins | 21.3 |
| 22.7 | Points in losses | 20.2 |
| 55 | Season high | 36 |
| 14 | 30-point games | 6 |
| 20 | Double-doubles | 17 |
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).