NBA Rumors: James Harden Waiting on Paul George Contract to ‘Align’ with SF, Kawhi

As Los Angeles Clippers star James Harden approaches free agency this offseason, it sounds like he won’t make a decision until he sees how things play out with another one of the team’s stars.

ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk said on Monday’s episode of NBA Today that Harden’s decisions in free agency will be influenced by what path is taken by his teammate Paul George, who is eligible for an extension or can opt out of his deal to test the open market.

“With the domino of Paul George, one guy who’s waiting to see what happens is James Harden,” Youngmisuk said at the 2:05 mark. “He wants to see if Paul George remains, how many years Paul George gets, because he wants to align himself along with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.”

After the Clippers acquired Harden from the Philadelphia 76ers in November, they were expected to be among the top contenders in the Western Conference. Los Angeles won the Pacific Division with a 51-31 record but fell to the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs in six games.

Part of the Clippers’ downfall was the health of Leonard, as he appeared in just two playoff games due to a knee injury. Harden and George did their best to keep the team afloat, but it wasn’t enough against the eventual Western Conference Champions.

At this stage in his career, Harden is focused on chasing an elusive NBA championship. The Clippers would have a solid chance to contend for a title next season if they can keep the band together and stay healthy, but neither of those things is guaranteed.

If Harden chooses to depart Los Angeles, he would command a lot of interest on the open market from teams looking for a veteran who can be a top option on offense.