Why did James Harden choose the Cleveland Cavaliers as his next destination? Simple. The franchise has the two things most desired by the all-time great. That would be championship upside and an opportunity to secure his next deal.
After two games on the road, Harden finally played his first home game in Cleveland since the trade away from the Los Angeles Clippers. It went spectacularly. The Cavaliers dominated the Washington Wizards, winning a one-sided 138-113 matchup on Wednesday night.
With all the reporters finally present, Harden was asked all the questions one could imagine. In a response that discussed loyalty in the NBA, the Cavaliers star talked long enough to openly reveal his reasoning for wanting to be in Cleveland.
Harden said, "It's always about trying to compete for a championship and then financially, making sure that my family is taken care of. ... [It's about] winning a championship, or at least having a chance to, and then financially getting paid for me being available and playing at the highest level for so long."
James Harden's goals should align perfectly with the Cavaliers
Harden has always been a player who clearly prioritizes winning. The all-time great has left a handful of teams and situations behind during his career when there was no championship upside remaining with the franchise.
Luckily for him, it is obvious the Cavaliers are just as focused on winning as he is.
Cleveland decided to ditch the core four for an ideology that favored prioritizing Donovan Mitchell as the figurehead who would lead the Cavs to success in their current window. That got Harden from California to Ohio.
Both sides want the same thing on the court. What about off the court?
Harden has similarly had few issues with leaving an organization that would not pay him. That was rumored to be a part of the reason as to why the star guard split from the Clippers.
Tomer Azarly wrote, "Harden ... had been hoping to secure a two-year, fully guaranteed deal worth $80 million after this season, sources said, but the Clippers have remained steadfast in their unwillingness to go beyond 2027."
Koby Altman on James Harden's contract:
— Mikey McNuggets (@MikeLucasTV) February 5, 2026
We can start negotiating with him post-finals. He would love to have a future with the Cavaliers. Because of his player-option, he had a de facto no-trade clause. He waived that to come to Cleveland. He wanted to be here.
Luckily for the newest arrival in Cleveland, Koby Altman has already discussed being open to negotiations in the summer. A successful postseason campaign for both sides would only further simplify how talks about a new deal could go.
And just like that, both major boxes with Harden are checked off.
The Cavaliers and Harden are a partnership that should work in the short-term for both sides. The open comments from the future Hall of Famer make that so much easier to see.