James Harden vs Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Harden · Gilgeous-Alexander
| Harden | Gilgeous-Alexander | |
|---|---|---|
| 70 | Games availability | 68 |
| 34.8 | Minutes per game | 33.2 |
| 23.6 | Points per game | 31.1 |
| 4.8 | Rebounds per game | 4.3 |
| 8.0 | Assists per game | 6.6 |
| 1.5 | Steals + blocks per game | 2.2 |
| 3.5 | Turnovers per game · lower is better | 2.2 |
| 43.4% | Field goal % | 55.3% |
| 37.5% | Three-point % 8.2 vs 4.4 attempts | 38.6% |
| 88.4% | Free throw % | 87.9% |
| 61.0% | True shooting TS% | 66.5% |
| 27.9% | Usage USG% | 32.3% |
| 34.7% | Assist % of teammates' baskets | 33.2% |
| 7.0% | Rebound % of available | 6.2% |
| +1.8 | Net rating on court | +16.3 |
| 14.3% | PIE player impact estimate | 20.7% |
| +1.4 | Plus-minus per game | +11.6 |
Where the gap is
from the numbers aboveShai Gilgeous-Alexander scored more in 2025-26, 7.5 points a game apart (31.1 vs 23.6), on Gilgeous-Alexander's heavier usage (32.3% vs 27.9%).
Gilgeous-Alexander is the more efficient scorer by true shooting, 66.5% to 61.0%; TS% folds threes and free throws into one number, so the gap survives shot-diet differences.
Playmaking goes to Harden (8.0 vs 6.6 assists), the glass to Harden (4.8 vs 4.3 rebounds).
With Gilgeous-Alexander on the floor his team outscored opponents by +16.3 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, Gilgeous-Alexander $40.8M through 2030-31. Whether either fits a trade is a Trade Machine question, not a stat one.
Splits
2025-26 · from the game logs| Harden | Gilgeous-Alexander | |
|---|---|---|
| 40-30 | Record when playing | 56-12 |
| 21.9 | Points at home | 31.3 |
| 25.1 | Points on the road | 30.9 |
| 24.3 | Points in wins | 31.1 |
| 22.7 | Points in losses | 31.1 |
| 55 | Season high | 55 |
| 14 | 30-point games | 43 |
| 20 | Double-doubles | 8 |
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).