Report again points to multiyear Cavs deal for James Harden

The expectation around the NBA hasn’t changed when it comes to James Harden and the Cavaliers.

Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported Friday that Harden is expected to decline his player option and sign a new multiyear contract with Cleveland, echoing what league insiders have believed throughout the offseason.

As Hoops Wire previously relayed, Harden’s recent arrest in Texas would not affect negotiations between the sides.

While the terms of the expected agreement have not been reported, the prevailing belief in the league is that Harden will opt out of the final year of his contract and sign a new two-year deal with the Cavs. 

Harden arrived in Cleveland at the February trade deadline and averaged 20.5 points and 7.7 assists in 32 regular-season games. He followed that by averaging 19.2 points and 5.5 assists during the playoffs as the Cavs reached the Eastern Conference finals.

Following the season-ending loss to the Knicks, Harden left little doubt about his desire to return.

“Definitely want to be here,” he said. “I think we found something.”

Earlier this month, Harden was arrested in Houston and charged with unlawfully carrying a weapon after police said they discovered a handgun in plain view during a traffic stop. The charge is a misdemeanor, and Fischer first reported that the incident is not expected to affect contract talks with the Cavs.

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