James Harden enters his 17th NBA season and his second year running Cleveland's offense alongside Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley. Last season's 23.6 points and 8.0 assists a night came with an uneven jump shot and a defensive number that gave back almost as much as the offense produced.
What's Harden's job on this roster?
He runs the offense. A 27.9% usage rate and a 34.7% assist rate last season say Harden still initiates as much as he scores, setting up Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley out of the pick-and-roll. His 118.8 offensive rating shows the ball moves well when he's directing it.
Can he still shoot it?
The numbers split down the middle. Harden hit 37.5% from three on 8.2 attempts a game and 88.4% from the line, both strong marks. But a 43.4% clip from the field overall and a 61.0% true shooting number say the efficiency leans on volume from deep and trips to the line.
Is the defense a problem?
It's the drag on his value. Harden posted a 117.0 defensive rating last season, and his net rating of plus-1.8 trailed Cleveland's other top scorers by a wide margin. At 37 and in his 17th year, the gap between what he gives on offense and gets back on defense is the number to watch.
What does his contract lock Cleveland into?
$30.6 million this season, $32.2 million next, and a $33.7 million player option for 2028-29 that would carry him into his age-39 season. Paired with Mitchell and Mobley at $50.1 million apiece, that's part of the payroll pushing Cleveland's $209.0 million total above the $200.4 million luxury tax line.
Which lineups actually work with him on the floor?
The Harden-Mitchell-Wade-Merrill-Mobley group ran a plus-3.1 net rating over six games and 64 minutes last season. Swap in K. Ellis for Wade and it falls to minus-5.3 over seven games. A group with Allen and Tyson alongside Harden, Mitchell and Merrill posted plus-3.8 over three games and 40 minutes — small samples, but they lean toward Merrill as the connective piece.
How many years are left on James Harden's Cavaliers contract?
Harden is signed through 2027-28 at $32.2 million, with a $33.7 million player option for 2028-29.
What was James Harden's assist total last season?
Harden averaged 8.0 assists a game across 70 games with Cleveland last season.
