Although the Cleveland Cavs are closing out the offseason on a high note following their blockbuster trade for Denver Nuggets’ Peyton Watson, James Harden’s new three-year contract extension isn’t sitting well with one NBA reporter. After agreeing to a three-year, $97 million contract, Cavs’ Harden joined the NBA’s $500 million club alongside Houston Rockets All-Star Kevin Durant, Philadelphia 76ers’ LeBron James, and Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry.
Harden, who turns 39 this season, is sticking with the Cavs for the foreseeable future, which wind up being a mistake, according to CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn.
“It’s that third year that really gets me. If you were to do a two-year deal in that $60 million range, which is something we were expecting considering where they were financially, after getting Peyton Watson, I might have been OK with it,” Quinn said. “Paying him over $30 million dollars in his age 39 season, seems very, very irresponsible to me.
“Obviously, his playoff track record speaks for itself. I might be very scared of how that contract is going to age. I kind of chuckled to myself when I saw the trade kicker, because nobody’s trading for that contract. 3 years, $97 million dollars for somebody who turns 37 next week, i just think that’s a little bit irresponsible.”
"3 years, $97 million dollars for somebody who turns 37 next week, i just think that's irresponsible"@SamQuinnCBS reacts to James Harden returning to the Cavs. pic.twitter.com/Hdy6Uo6YkR
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) August 20, 2026
James Harden averaged 20.5 points on 46.6/43.5/84.0 percent shooting splits, 7.7 assists, and 4.8 rebounds in 26 regular-season games for the Cavs last season, following his trade from the LA Clippers. Those number took a slight dip during the playoffs, where Harden averaged 19.2 points on 41% shooting, including 29.9% from deep, 5.5 assists, and 5.1 rebounds.
The Knicks sent Harden and the Cavs home in a 4-0 sweep in last season’s Eastern Conference Finals.