James Harden is still under contract with the Houston Rockets for at least two more seasons, but the team is already looking to sign the star guard to an extension.
Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports that the Rockets are planning to offer Harden a contract extension this summer that would tack an additional four years onto his current deal. Since Harden was a unanimous All-NBA first-team player, the Collective Bargaining Agreement allows Houston to offer him a four-year extension worth up to $168 million. Harden is already set to make $58.7 million over the next two seasons, so his total contract would then be worth around $226 million for six seasons — an average annual value of roughly $37 million.
A source with knowledge of the situation told Feigen that the Rockets plan to sign Harden to an extension “at the first opportunity.” In addition to keeping an MVP candidate under team control for years to come, the team feels that is a way of showing prospective free agents that they are serious about contending.
Harden led the NBA this season with a career-high 11.2 assists per game. He also scored 29.1 points and grabbed 8.1 rebounds per game while thriving as the centerpiece of Mike D’Antoni’s offense. The 27-year-old is one of three finalists for the NBA MVP Award along with Kawhi Leonard and Russell Westbrook.
The Rockets likely believe they have an outside chance at landing one of the biggest names on the free agent market next offseason, so signing Harden to an extension first is a wise idea.
