LeBron James has already made his decision, but James Harden is still apparently waiting for another domino to fall.
The former NBA MVP Harden has delayed on signing a new contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers this offseason. Ramona Shelburne of ESPN reported on Thursday that Harden is doing so in order to grant Cleveland more flexibility for a potential pursuit of restricted free agent forward Peyton Watson.
Watson is one of the top free agents left on the market along with fellow RFAs like Jalen Duren and Bennedict Mathurin. He averaged career highs across the board for the Denver Nuggets last season with 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game and still has plenty of room to grow at 23 years old.
Meanwhile, the Cavaliers need more youth, athleticism, and defense on the wing. That is exactly what Watson can provide with his 6-foot-8 frame and his 7-foot wingspan.
As for Harden, who turns 37 next month, he decided earlier this summer to turn down his $42.3 million player option with the Cavaliers for next season. Harden clearly believes that he is still worth a sizable payday after averaging 23.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per game overall last season.
With that being said though, the still-ringless Harden is looking to help Cleveland build a legitimate title contender around him as well. If and when Harden does end up inking a new deal with the Cavaliers, it could wind up looking like this potential framework.
