For months, James Harden's future with the Cleveland Cavaliers was an open secret. He was always expected to get a multi-year deal after last season, which was perhaps the biggest — and probably only — reason he was traded to Cleveland, of all places.
Harden looked great in the regular season (he always does) and was a seamless fit next to fellow Adidas athlete Donovan Mitchell. Then, he was a no-show in the playoffs (he always is), but he remained committed to the team.
Harden remains unsigned because he wants to give the Cavaliers enough financial flexibility to sign LeBron James. He's taking one for the team, knowing they'll do right by him, too. However, of all the things one can say about the great James Harden, being a team guy or a reliable guy may not be near the top of the list.
Would James Harden leave if the Cavaliers don't sign LeBron James?
For most of his career, money has moved James Harden much more than the prospect of winning an NBA championship. Of course, he's played for some stacked teams and used to be a superstar, but problems have usually started when teams mess with his money.
That said, people can always change. With the end of his career getting closer by the day, perhaps he may finally realize that he must win a championship to save his complex legacy. And if the Cavaliers don't land LeBron, doing so in Cleveland might be a bit trickier.
So, what if LeBron joins another team? He was already considering teaming up with The Beard, so maybe he can recruit him elsewhere. Will Harden leave the Cavs hanging? Even knowing that he'll probably make much more money here than with another team?
Nothing is official until a player puts pen to paper. DeAndre Jordan was almost a Dallas Maverick until he wasn't. Harden was fully committed to the Brooklyn Nets until he requested a trade at the eleventh hour. Hell, even Luka Doncic was the Mavs' franchise player, and we all know how that turned out.
The Cavaliers seem to be well-positioned to get LeBron, and this is all mere speculation. That said, Harden has been self-centered and unpredictable for most of his career, so anything can happen at this point.
He loves financial stability more than anything else, so maybe we'll look back on this take and laugh it off a couple of days from now. That said, the NBA is where amazing happens, and we wouldn't put anything past it at this point.
Add us as a preferred source on Google