The Clippers were destined for their first ever championship when James Harden rolled into town. For one of the best shooting guards of all time, he’s is long overdue a ring himself. Will it be with Lob City? Uncertain. As things stand, his immediate future is also uncertain. His current contract is still ongoing, and Harden has a player option for next year. But that doesn’t make it any clearer – as some NBA writers believe that to be under his asking rate.

Harden’s current contract is a 2-year deal, which sees him earn $33,653,846 for the season, where they lost 4-3 to the Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs. That player option is worth $36 million, which will preserve his spot as the 2nd best paid player on the Clips after Kawhi Leonard. But he wants more. And to be honest, for the amount they worked him this year, they shouldn’t be faltering to meet his demands. But what are those demands? For someone like the Beard- it’s getting a number closer to Leonard’s.

“I just expect James Harden to opt out and get a deal that lines up with Kawhi Leonard,” said Athletic’s Law Murray on Yossi Gozlam’s podcast. “And that would make 2027 the big year to really look at something. So I think that’s really their avenue. “You’re not paying three stars. You’re not paying a whole lot for the two that you have. Like I think Harden might get a little bit more money by opting out, but you look at the cap rising and you look at where I don’t think James is going to command so much more that it limits the Clippers that much.”

For reference, Kawhi earned a whopping $49,205,800 this season. That amount is due to become an even $50,000,000 next season. Wouldn’t you argue a future Hall of Famer being at least that much? Law Murray reports on the Clippers – if he says Harden’s asking rate wouldn’t hurt them, then it’s probably in their best interest to put their money where their mouth is.

Even for someone 35 years to the good – James Harden finished the season with a 22.8/5.8/8.7 in 79 games. You might as well throw in his 1.5 steals per game for extra credit. Coming off a 2023-24 season where he finished with a 16.6/5.1/8.5 statline, Murray is justified when he said: “He didn’t decline this year, you know, so that’s so that’s gives you a little bit of optimism.”

What doesn’t give optimism, though, is Kawhi Leonard’s comments on an uncertain future around his partner in crime.

Kawhi Leonard finds it hard to comment on Clippers’ future with James Harden

The Clippers ended the season in blistering form. They won 9 of the last 10, which included an 8-game winning streak heading into the playoffs. From where they were mid-season – without any real additions in the winter – it’s quite impressive. If anything, it gives Ty Lue enough confidence to build on what they have. A lot of it depends on Kawhi‘s fitness, though; they looked like championship contenders with him on the court. Former player Chandler Parsons even claimed them to be the Thunder’s biggest worry for the WCF. So when Kawhi was asked about the future team around the Clippers’ dymamic duo, his answer left a lot to question.

“I don’t know right now. I guess we’re still playing at a high level, in a sense. But that’s a hard question to answer right now,” said the Klaw in the postseason press. The Clippers went 26-11 this season when Harden and Leonard played together.  They boasted a staggering +10.5 net rating with them on the court, a figure that would have ranked first league-wide over a full season. And they took Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets all the way in round 1.

James Harden was very clear on retiring in LA when he joined in 2023. That should give their fans a bit of confidence concerning his future. But will Clippers GM Trent Redden and the rest of the front office see his demands to be affordable? That’s left to be seen.