James Harden had somewhat of a late-career resurgence at the age of 35 in 2024-25. He averaged 22.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 8.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.7 blocks per game while shooting 41.0% from the field, 35.2% from three-point range and 87.4% from the free-throw line. It marked the first year that he was named to the All-Star Team since 2021-22, when he made the roster for the tenth consecutive year.
The bounce back campaign came after Harden averaged 16.6 ppg last year, his lowest since his second season in the league. It also set the 2017-18 MVP up for one final payday. While he holds a $36.3 million player option for next year, a recent prediction expects him to decline that option to receive a more lucrative deal.
“The Clippers probably won’t want to follow the lead of a couple of 30-somethings too much longer, particularly since they have nothing in the way of young, developing talent churning through the roster,” Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley wrote Wednesday. “Still, it would make sense for them to want Harden on the same trajectory as Leonard, meaning a new contract that runs through the 2026-27 season. Harden, who has a $36.3 million player option for next season, played well enough to opt out in anticipation of receiving a slight pay increase. He just shouldn’t plan on trying to find that money elsewhere, since he’d be an awkward fit for Brooklyn or Detroit. Look for the 35-year-old to run it back on something close to a two-year, $75 million deal.”
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Harden has made over $372 million in his 16-year playing career. That mark ranks fifth in NBA history, trailing only LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and Chris Paul. If he remains with Clippers, it could set him up to end his career with the franchise — the fifth team he has played for in his career.
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