James Harden agrees to record-setting extension with Rockets
James Harden and the Houston Rockets have agreed to a four-year supermax contract extension that will guarantee the five-time all-star somewhere around $228 million through the 2022-23 season, depending on salary cap fluctuations.
As noted by ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, it is the biggest contract extension in NBA history. Harden is the first player to sign under the new designated player veteran extension rule of the NBA’s recently enacted collective bargaining agreement. It allows teams to retain the star players that they either have drafted or traded for early in their careers and can only be used for players who have earned high-level NBA honors in recent seasons (all-NBA teams, NBA MVP or NBA defensive player of the year). Harden was able to take advantage of the new rule after earning first-team all-NBA honors after last season, the second time in three years he earned that accolade.
Harden already had signed a contract extension with the Rockets last year, and there were two years and $59 million left on that deal. But he was grandfathered in to the new designated player veteran extension rule as part of the new CBA, allowing him to sign the new extension.
“It’s my pleasure to announce we’ve reached agreement with James Harden on a long-term contract extension. Since he arrived in Houston, James has exhibited the incredible work ethic, desire to win, and passion to be the best that has made him one of the most unique and talented superstars in the history of the game,” Rockets owner Leslie Alexander said in a statement. “Additionally, the commitment he has shown to our organization, the City of Houston, and Rockets fans all over the world makes him a perfect leader in our pursuit of another championship. I’m very happy for James, his mother Monja, and their family on this exciting day.”
Said Harden: “Houston is home for me. Mr. Alexander has shown he is fully committed to winning and my teammates and I are going to keep putting in the work to get better and compete for the title.”
League sources also told Windhorst that the Rockets, who have already traded for all-star guard Chris Paul, would now turn their attention toward trading for Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony in the hopes of creating a superteam that could contend with the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference. Anthony has told the Knicks that he would waive his no-trade clause if a deal could be worked out with Houston, Windhorst reports.
Harden finished second in MVP voting last season and in 2014-15. The Rockets have made the playoffs in all five of his seasons in Houston, and last season he set career highs in scoring (29.1 ppg, second in the NBA), rebounding (8.1) and assists (an NBA-best 11.2 per game) while helping Houston to the league’s third-best record at 55-27. He and Oscar Robertson are the only NBA players to have averaged at least 29 points, 11 assists and 8 rebounds in a single season, and no player has scored more points than Harden’s 10,823 since he joined the Rockets for the 2012-13 season.
