James Harden 2024-2025 Fantasy Outlook

James Harden is entering his 16th NBA season and his second with the Los Angeles Clippers. He isn’t the same player he once was but he can still hold his own offensively. Since signing with the Clippers last season, his role shifted to being more of a distributor, but with Paul George signing with Philadelphia, he will return to being a scorer again.

Harden is 35 years old and can’t be expected to be the MVP-caliber player he once was. However, the Clippers will look for him to take on a more prominent role this upcoming season, especially considering Kawhi Leonard’s injury history. Let’s analyze Harden’s fantasy value for the 2024-2025 season.

James Harden’s 2023 Statistics

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It was a bit of a down season for James Harden considering the numbers he has put up in his decorated career. He averaged 16.6 points, 8.5 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game in 72 games last season. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are high-volume shooters which diminished Harden’s scoring opportunities.

James Harden ranked 13th in fantasy points for guards and outside the top 30 overall. He averaged 38.5 fantasy points per game in his first season with the Los Angeles Clippers. Harden’s season-high in points last season came on December 18 when he scored 35 points in 28 minutes against the Indiana Pacers.

James Harden’s 2024-2025 Projections

The departure of Paul George and the health concerns of Kawhi Leonard should allow James Harden a sizable increase in shot volume and scoring. Those factors give him the potential to average 20 and 10 like he has in the past. ESPN has Harden projected to average 17.4 points, 8.9 assists, and 5.3 rebounds in 72 games in the upcoming season. He should go in the early to middle rounds in fantasy drafts and can fit in as a point guard or a shooting guard in your lineups.

NBA.com slots James Harden in the top 10 in fantasy for all guards and top 20 overall in his increased role. The Los Angeles Clippers don’t have many reliable scoring options with Kawhi Leonard being load-managed and other role players being streaky shooters. If Harden stays healthy, hits consistently from three, and gets to the line often, the Clippers will be top-six in the West and avoid the play-in tournament this season.

Final Thoughts

James Harden isn’t an MVP candidate or a perennial all-star anymore, but he can still help lead a team into the playoffs and hit clutch shots. He’ll give you double-doubles several times and every once in a while, a triple-double. After accepting a lesser role last season, Harden is primed to produce a significantly better fantasy output for this upcoming season.

You can’t rely on Harden to carry your fantasy team this year, but he should be a consistent, trustworthy guard to fill a starting spot in your lineup. If Harden steps up for the Clippers this season, he might take them on an extended playoff run and maybe your fantasy team to a championship.

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Article originally written by Stuart Norris