There has been very little reported on the type of offers James Harden will receive in his free agency, but a potential offer of the full non-taxpayer midlevel from the Los Angeles Lakers starting at $12.8 million will likely be far less than what the Los Angeles Clippers will offer. The Lakers could afford to offer the full MLE to Harden due to the willingness of LeBron James to take nearly $20 million less on his contract.
“James Harden could get double that to return to the Clippers,” said Adrian Wojnarowski of the Lakers’ pursuit.
On the eve of the 2023 free agency period, Harden made the surprise decision to exercise his $35.6 million player option for the 23-24 season with the Philadelphia 76ers with the intent to be traded to the Clippers. Harden was finally traded after the start of the season and was largely an impact player for the Clippers.
Harden declined to accept a three-year, $161 million extension from the Brooklyn Nets in 2021 in hopes of signing a four-year, $227 million during free agency in 2022. Harden ended up requesting a trade to the Sixers, declined his $47.3 million option, and instead signed a one-plus-one worth $68.6 million.
The Clippers could still likely pay Harden more than any other team, but it is likely less than what he was anticipating as the franchise attempts to stay under the second apron in the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement environment.
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June 30, 2024 | 8:30 am
