James Harden Contract: Clippers Guard Took Less Money to Help Former Team

James Harden - Denver Nuggets v Los Angeles Clippers
(Photo : Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - James Harden (#1) of the LA Clippers at Crypto.com Arena on November 27, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

Los Angeles Clippers star James Harden is widely acclaimed as one of the greatest shooting guards and scorers in the history of the NBA.

The 34-year-old started his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder after being drafted by the team with the third overall pick in 2009.

After failing to secure the contract extension he wanted, Harden was traded to the Houston Rockets in 2012, where he established himself as one of the league's best players. He won the NBA Most Valuable Player award in 2018 and led the league in scoring in three consecutive seasons from 2017-18 to 2019-20.

Harden was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in 2021, followed by a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers in 2022, and most recently, to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2023. 

The crafty scorer's outstanding contributions to the game were acknowledged when he was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021, solidifying his place among the league's greatest players.

With over a decade of being one of the league's premier stars, how much could James Harden's net worth be in 2023?

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James Harden's Contract: $68.6 million

During the summer of 2022, Harden inked a two-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers worth $68.2 million, with a player option for 2023-24.

Harden opted not to exercise his player option of $47.3 million for the 2022-23 season from his previous pact; instead, he chose the new two-year contract, which caused him to take a $14 million pay cut. This decision provided the Sixers with financial flexibility to acquire higher-caliber talent.

However, in the summer of 2023, Harden wanted to be traded out of Philadelphia. Failing to secure suitable offers, he opted into his player option for the 2023-24 season, valued at $35.6 million, hoping to facilitate a trade by finding a partner to absorb his salary.

Despite this, the Sixers attempted to retain him, leading to a tumultuous situation. Harden was eventually traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in November 2023.

James Harden's Career Earnings

By the conclusion of the 2023-24 NBA season, James Harden is expected to have accumulated $338,570,135 in career earnings solely from his NBA salary during his 15 seasons in the league, according to figures from Spotrac.

This total doesn't include additional income from endorsements and deductions for taxes, agent fees, and other business expenses.

This total positions Harden as the sixth-highest-earning NBA player of all time. Only LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers, Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns, Chris Paul and Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors, and Harden's Clippers teammate Russell Westbrook have earned more, according to Statista.

With free agency on the horizon next summer, it remains uncertain whether Harden will continue his tenure with the Los Angeles Clippers. 

James Harden's Salary 2023

Harden is set to earn $35,640,000 in the current 2023-24 NBA season, which is the final year of his current contract, as per numbers from HoopsHype.

The 2012 NBA Sixth Man of the Year is the third best-paid player on the Clippers roster, behind the identical $45.6 million salaries of fellow stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

The former Arizona State standout previously earned $33 million in 2022-23, and he had the highest single-season salary of his career in 2021-22, wherein he took home $44,310,840  

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