Hoops Nightly
James Harden
Cavaliers · G · 37
James Harden
vs
2025-26
17
Nets · F · 28
Michael Porter Jr.
Head to head · 2025-26 regular season · stats.nba.com

James Harden vs Michael Porter Jr.

11-6categories
Harden · Porter Jr.
James Harden
Harden
Cavaliers
2025-26
Porter Jr.
Nets
17
70
Games
availability
52
34.8
Minutes
per game
32.5
23.6
Points
per game
24.2
4.8
Rebounds
per game
7.1
8.0
Assists
per game
3.0
1.5
Steals + blocks
per game
1.4
3.5
Turnovers
per game · lower is better
2.3
43.4%
Field goal %
46.3%
37.5%
Three-point %
8.2 vs 9.3 attempts
36.3%
88.4%
Free throw %
85.9%
61.0%
True shooting
TS%
59.5%
27.9%
Usage
USG%
29.2%
34.7%
Assist %
of teammates' baskets
16.5%
7.0%
Rebound %
of available
11.0%
+1.8
Net rating
on court
-6.6
14.3%
PIE
player impact estimate
14.1%
+1.4
Plus-minus
per game
-3.9
Bars show each player's share of the pair's total; the better number is in the club's color (turnovers: fewer is better).

Where the gap is

from the numbers above

Michael Porter Jr. scored more in 2025-26, 0.6 points a game apart (24.2 vs 23.6), on Porter Jr.'s heavier usage (29.2% vs 27.9%).

Harden is the more efficient scorer by true shooting, 61.0% to 59.5%; TS% folds threes and free throws into one number, so the gap survives shot-diet differences.

Playmaking goes to Harden (8.0 vs 3.0 assists), the glass to Porter Jr. (7.1 vs 4.8 rebounds).

Availability is part of the comparison: Harden played 18 more games (70 vs 52 of 82).

With Harden on the floor his team outscored opponents by +1.8 per 100 possessions, against -6.6 for Porter Jr.; on-court net rating carries the teammates with it, so read it next to PIE.

On the books for 2026-27: Harden $30.6M through 2028-29, Porter Jr. $40.8M through 2026-27. Whether either fits a trade is a Trade Machine question, not a stat one.

Splits

2025-26 · from the game logs
Harden
2025-26
Porter Jr.
40-30
Record when playing
14-38
21.9
Points at home
25.2
25.1
Points on the road
23.3
24.3
Points in wins
28.5
22.7
Points in losses
22.6
55
Season high
38
14
30-point games
14
20
Double-doubles
12

Last games & contracts

test a trade in the Trade Machine →
Harden · last 5
Tue, Oct 13 at ORL13 pts · 0 reb · 2 ast
Sun, Oct 11 vs ORL24 pts · 4 reb · 2 ast
Thu, Oct 8 vs BOS0 pts · 0 reb · 0 ast
Mon, May 25 vs NYK12 pts · 4 reb · 2 ast
Sat, May 23 vs NYK19 pts · 5 reb · 5 ast
Porter Jr. · last 5
Wed, Oct 21 vs CHA26 pts · 7 reb · 1 ast
Wed, Oct 14 at MIA27 pts · 1 reb · 1 ast
Mon, Oct 12 at WAS22 pts · 4 reb · 0 ast
Tue, Oct 6 at CHA16 pts · 5 reb · 2 ast
Tue, Mar 10 vs DET19 pts · 2 reb · 1 ast
Harden · contract
2026-27$30.6M
2027-28$32.2M
2028-29player option$33.7M
Porter Jr. · contract
2026-27$40.8M

More comparisons

pick any two players →
Harden vs
Keyonte George · Cade Cunningham · Austin Reaves · Jamal Murray
Porter Jr. vs
Deni Avdija · Pascal Siakam · Victor Wembanyama · Jalen Johnson
Harden vs the top 40 scorers of 2025-26
Luka Doncic · Shai Gilgeous-Alexander · Anthony Edwards · Jaylen Brown · Tyrese Maxey · Kawhi Leonard · Donovan Mitchell · Nikola Jokic · Lauri Markkanen · Stephen Curry · Devin Booker · Jalen Brunson · Kevin Durant · Jamal Murray · Victor Wembanyama · Michael Porter Jr. · Deni Avdija · Pascal Siakam · Cade Cunningham · Keyonte George · Austin Reaves · Jalen Johnson · Paolo Banchero · Norman Powell · Brandon Ingram · Trey Murphy III · Julius Randle · Cooper Flagg · Zion Williamson · LeBron James · Nickeil Alexander-Walker · Shaedon Sharpe · Alperen Sengun · Brandon Miller · Dillon Brooks · LaMelo Ball · Bam Adebayo · Karl-Anthony Towns · Desmond Bane
Porter Jr. vs the top 40 scorers of 2025-26
Luka Doncic · Shai Gilgeous-Alexander · Anthony Edwards · Jaylen Brown · Tyrese Maxey · Kawhi Leonard · Donovan Mitchell · Nikola Jokic · Lauri Markkanen · Stephen Curry · Devin Booker · Jalen Brunson · Kevin Durant · Jamal Murray · Victor Wembanyama · Deni Avdija · Pascal Siakam · Cade Cunningham · Keyonte George · James Harden · Austin Reaves · Jalen Johnson · Paolo Banchero · Norman Powell · Brandon Ingram · Trey Murphy III · Julius Randle · Cooper Flagg · Zion Williamson · LeBron James · Nickeil Alexander-Walker · Shaedon Sharpe · Alperen Sengun · Brandon Miller · Dillon Brooks · LaMelo Ball · Bam Adebayo · Karl-Anthony Towns · Desmond Bane

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).