Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
USA TODAY
James Harden returns to Los Angeles in Clippers' first move of NBA free agency
By Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY,
4 hours ago
The Los Angeles Clippers want to win, and they want to win in their new arena, Intuit Dome, which opens for the 2024-25 season in Inglewood, California.
To ensure they remain a playoff team with the possibility of playing deep into May and possibly June, the Clippers will bring back 10-time All-Star guard James Harden on a two-year, $70 million deal, a person familiar with the agreement told USA TODAY Sports.
The person requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly until the deal is official.
The Clippers were 51-31 and lost to the Dallas Mavericks, the eventual Western Conference champions, in a six-game first-round playoff series.
Harden, 34, averaged 16.1 points, 8.5 assists and 5.1 rebounds, while shooting 42.8% from the field and 38.1% on 3-pointers. Against the Mavericks, he averaged 21.2 points, 8 assists and 4 rebounds and shot 44.9% from the field and 38.3% on 3-pointers.
The Clippers have other moves to make. Paul George is a free agent, and it there is a growing possibility that the Clippers will try to trade Russell Westbrook, who exercised the $4 million player option on his contract for 2024-25.
In May, the Clippers signed Coach Ty Lue to an extension that makes him one of the highest-paid coaches in the league at $10 million-plus per season.
The Intuit Dome is a $2 billion arena and may play host to basketball at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. But first, the Clippers want to play host to playoff basketball in the arena with Harden leading the way.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Comments / 0