James Harden’s new deal should make Cavs’ offseason life easier

The Cavaliers got the entire James Harden experience in just a matter of months.

They acquired him from the Clippers (for Darius Garland) in February. Then Harden lived up to his reputation.

He hit some big shots. He missed some, too. He occasionally unleashed the big guys. He turned it over too much in the playoffs. He struggled to get stops. He exhibited leadership. He showed toughness. It was all there.

But no matter how you spin it, or how much you liked or didn’t like it, Harden will be back. 

As first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, Harden is opting out of his deal to become a free agent. He will soon sign a multiyear deal to remain in Cleveland.

We’ve known this since February. And financially, it’s a win-win. The Cavaliers finally get some much needed flexibility, as Harden is taking an annual pay cut. At the same time, he’ll be getting a longer deal and, we can assume, more guaranteed money.

The Athletic’s Joe Vardon broke it all down.

“Harden’s yearly salary is expected to drop into the $32 million to $38 million range, but he can sign a contract that extends for up to three seasons,” Vardon wrote. “Cleveland, meanwhile, carried the highest payroll in the NBA last year and is searching for ways to get under the NBA’s punitive salary aprons (the second, most restrictive apron is projected to be $222 million) without major disruptions to the roster.

“Harden trimming $12-$14 million off his salary for next season helps.”

Now, the Cavs still won’t have salary-cap space to burn. But they can at least explore trades that will bring back some actual real contributors.

Had Harden just stayed the course with his old contract, that would not have been the case.

Either way, the Cavs didn’t trade a talent like Garland for Harden with the idea of letting Harden walk at the end of the season. They fully intended for Harden to be here for a few years and to see how it all shakes out. 

That remains the plan.

More moves on way?

The difference is, now, president of basketball operations Koby Altman and his team can start trying to maneuver around Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen and the rest.

Altman will try to make a splash. That’s not any inside info. That’s just how he’s wired.

This is the time of season to do it — as in the offseason. Some will tell you it’s the most important season of all. July and February are when GMs earn their money.

And this is a critical time for Altman. Yes, the Cavs reached the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2018.

But the road there was probably rockier than it should’ve been. And once they arrived, the eventual-champion Knicks made the Cavs look like they didn’t belong.

So they have work to do. They know that. 

They also know that Harden’s new deal will make that work at least a little easier.