{"id":131652,"date":"2025-03-30T13:15:49","date_gmt":"2025-03-30T17:15:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=131652"},"modified":"2025-03-30T13:15:49","modified_gmt":"2025-03-30T17:15:49","slug":"james-harden-set-to-get-paid-after-broken-promises-self-bet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/03\/30\/james-harden-set-to-get-paid-after-broken-promises-self-bet\/","title":{"rendered":"James Harden Set To Get Paid After Broken Promises, Self Bet"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Los Angeles Clippers<\/a> rely on elite scorers Kawhi Leonard<\/a> and James Harden<\/a>. Leonard started the season recovering from a knee injury. Harden helped keep the team competitive in his absence. With both healthy, the Clippers aim for a deep playoff run. Long-term, the roster\u2019s future remains uncertain. A full rebuild could come, but for now, the Clippers seem to follow a model similar to the Warriors with Stephen Curry<\/a> and Jimmy Butler<\/a>. The front office may prioritize Harden\u2019s contract to align with Leonard\u2019s final year in 2026-27. He will likely decline his $36.3 million player option and sign a two-year contract worth $72-75 million. Almost two years on from a very public feud with Daryl Morey, James Harden will get paid by the Clippers this summer.<\/p>\n

James Harden Set To Get Paid After Broken Promises And Betting on Himself<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Harden\u2019s Gamble on Himself<\/h3>\n

In 2021, Harden rejected a three-year, $160 million extension from the Brooklyn Nets.<\/a> Since then, he has sought to recover that lost payday. He accepted two pay cuts\u2014$11 million with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2022 and a smaller reduction with the Clippers this season.<\/p>\n

Last year, Harden signed a two-year, $70 million<\/a> deal with the Clippers. He bet on himself, expecting to play well and opt out for a bigger contract. He delivered, earning his first All-Star selection in three years. Now, he is positioned to leverage his strong play into a lucrative deal. The Clippers must decide whether to commit significant money to a 36-year-old Harden or pivot towards long-term flexibility.<\/p>\n

Broken Promises in Philadelphia<\/h3>\n

Harden\u2019s time in Philadelphia began with hope but ended in frustration. He joined the 76ers expecting to thrive alongside Joel Embiid.<\/a> The duo showed flashes of brilliance. But internal tensions and contract disputes ultimately derailed their partnership.<\/p>\n

Harden took a $14 million pay cut in 2022 to help the 76ers<\/a> sign P.J. Tucker<\/a>. The team framed it as a \u201csacrifice\u201d for a championship push. However, the Sixers never planned to reward Harden with a maximum contract. The front office remained hesitant due to his age and playoff struggles. Harden expected a long-term deal but felt betrayed when it never materialized.<\/p>\n

All-Star Snub and Growing Resentment<\/h3>\n

Harden\u2019s frustration peaked in early 2023 when he missed the All-Star Game for the first time in a decade. He finished fourth among Eastern Conference guards in fan voting, trailing Kyrie Irving,<\/a> Donovan Mitchell<\/a>, and Jaylen Brown<\/a>. NBA commissioner Adam Silver<\/a> considered naming him as an injury replacement. However, Harden delayed his response, and Pascal Siakam<\/a> was chosen instead.<\/p>\n

The 76ers offered public support, but internally, tensions rose. They needed Harden to play like a superstar, but he felt undervalued. Head coach Doc Rivers and several teammates questioned his commitment. These issues came to a head in February when Harden skipped a team flight to Miami, choosing to travel separately to enjoy the nightlife. Rivers later confronted him, leading to an uncomfortable team meeting.<\/p>\n

The End in Philadelphia<\/h3>\n

The 76ers\u2019 playoff exit sealed the inevitable breakup. Two days after their Game 7 loss to the Celtics, Rivers was fired. Harden reportedly refused to play for him again. The front office initially prioritized re-signing Harden, but internal debates emerged about his worth.<\/p>\n

Harden sought a four-year, $210 million contract. However, his leverage was limited. The Houston Rockets,<\/a> once a rumored landing spot, lost interest. The 76ers hesitated to meet his demands. Frustrated, Harden exercised his $35.6 million player option and demanded a trade. His relationship with 76ers executive Daryl Morey deteriorated, culminating in a messy standoff before he was finally dealt to the Clippers.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s Next for Harden?<\/h3>\n

Despite past disappointments, Harden remains a valuable player. He adapted his game to fit with Leonard and carried the team in his absence. His All-Star season proves he still has plenty left in the tank.<\/p>\n

The Clippers must decide if extending Harden is worth the risk. His track record suggests he will push for a two- or three-year deal. Given their win-now approach, they may have little choice but to pay him.<\/p>\n

James Harden bet on himself, and despite setbacks, he is set to be paid finally.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Los Angeles Clippers rely on elite scorers Kawhi Leonard and James Harden. Leonard started the season recovering from a knee injury. Harden helped keep the team competitive in his absence. With both healthy, the Clippers aim for a deep playoff run. Long-term, the roster\u2019s future remains uncertain. A full rebuild could come, but for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5018,"featured_media":131657,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[62,1608,27],"tags":[1107,444,639,2113,4975],"class_list":["post-131652","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba","category-basketball","category-clippers","tag-daryl-morey","tag-james-harden","tag-nba-all-star","tag-nba-contract-extension","tag-nba-contracts"],"modified_by":"Frederick Okocha","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131652","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5018"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=131652"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131652\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":131658,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131652\/revisions\/131658"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/131657"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=131652"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=131652"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=131652"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}