James Harden is going to sign in Cleveland, and he is waiting around so the Cavaliers can go big-game hunting, not because they have cold feet.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and James Harden have still not publicly agreed to a new contract, and the former MVP remains unsigned as the midpoint of August approaches. The NBA schedule is about to drop, and technically, Cleveland fans don't know if Harden will be suiting up for any of the games or not.
The assumption has always been that a deal was already verbally agreed to behind-the-scenes, and that Harden would sign as soon as the LeBron James pursuit in free agency was resolved one way or the other. As the days have ticked by, however, and LeBron's commitment to the Philadelphia 76ers sits weeks in the rearview mirror, another possibility has emerged: are the Cavaliers rethinking their decision to bring back James Harden?
Could the Cavaliers decide not to re-sign James Harden?
That hesitation would bring despair to some fans and hope to others, as Harden remains one of the league's most polarizing players. A consummate floor general with pinpoint passing, high-volume shooting and a decorated career? It's not hard to see why the 11-time All-Star has fans.
On the other hand, Harden forces his teams to play a specific brand of basketball, with a deliberate pace, a compromised defensive scheme, and a ceding of most of the on-ball reps to Harden and not other stars such as Donovan Mitchell. His playoff disasters are also public record No. 1. Fans who don't want Harden anywhere near their team are also well justified.
Could the Cavaliers be rethinking their commitment to Harden? The delay in a deal being signed could suggest that Cleveland is looking for other options behind the scenes -- a sign-and-trade to another team, or merely allowing him to walk in free agency for nothing. That would be a risky move that lowers their floor but perhaps also raises their long-term ceiling.
However much some fans and analysts might like that outcome for the Cavs, it doesn't appear to be in the cards. After trading away an All-Star point guard in Darius Garland for Harden at last year's trade deadline, the odds of Cleveland walking away were always low. And now, yet again, the inevitability of Harden re-signing was confirmed with the latest report.
Cavaliers and Harden are waiting for a specific reason
Marc Stein reported on his excellent Substack Tuesday night that Harden is a lock to return to the Cavaliers. The reason for the silence and the delay is not the Cavaliers getting cold feet, but rather their ambition to upgrade the roster.
Harden waited to sign his contract in case the Cavaliers convinced LeBron James to return home for a third stint with the team. Once that decision was made, Harden could have signed -- except Cleveland wasn't done hoping.
They have been linked to other targets in the past few weeks, most disappointingly Jonathan Kuminga and most excitingly Peyton Watson. Harden is waiting to sign until the Cavaliers know what it will take to bring either of those forwards in via sign-and-trade, or until they pass on both.
Whether this is a magnanimous gesture from Harden or the Cavaliers squeezing what they can from the situation, it's better than nothing. Would Cleveland be better off getting out of the James Harden business altogether? Probably, but this is the bed they laid in.
If they are going to make it better, finding a way to add Peyton Watson may be the best option in front of them. And Harden is willing to wait around to help make it happen.
Cold feet, however, as nowhere to be found.
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