James Harden Secures $97 Million Bag to Stay in Cleveland

James Harden getting another near-$100 million contract with a trade kicker is proof that the man's agents belong in the Hall of Fame.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported Thursday that Harden is returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers on a three-year, $97 million deal. The contract comes fully loaded with a player option and a trade kicker, courtesy of his reps at Equity Sports.

"Agents Mike Silverman, Troy Payne and Brandon Grier of Equity Sports told ESPN about the deal."

Giving a trade kicker to a guy who treats trade requests like seasonal allergies is objectively hilarious. Harden is locking in over $32 million a year to stay in Ohio, following up the two-year, $81.5 million deal he previously squeezed out of the Los Angeles Clippers.

To be fair to the front office, the on-court production still looks like a premium asset. Harden is currently putting up 23.6 points, 8.0 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game for Cleveland. When he is actually on the floor, he runs an offense as well as anyone in the league.

The catch, as anyone who has ever checked the odds on a Cavaliers player prop knows, is the injury report. Harden's recent history is a CVS receipt of hamstring strains, foot issues, and mysterious rest days. Committing three years to an aging guard with that kind of mileage is a massive gamble for a franchise trying to keep its playoff window propped open.

For now, Cleveland secures its backcourt and avoids the headache of replacing an elite playmaker in free agency. We will see how that player option looks in a couple of years, but for this season, expect Harden to keep running the show—at least until his next scheduled day off.