Bleacher Report’s latest scorer rankings have James Harden sitting at No. 29 heading into the 2026-27 season, a placement that puts the Cavaliers star right behind New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson and just ahead of Philadelphia 76ers forward and Cavaliers legend LeBron James.
Harden’s first season in Cleveland came after the Cavaliers acquired him from the LA Clippers, and he delivered the kind of production that still makes him a major offensive force. He averaged 20.5 points and 7.7 assists per game in the regular season, then posted 19.2 points and 5.5 assists per game in the playoffs.
Cleveland made a deep run with him in the mix, beating the Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons to reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1992 without LeBron on the roster. The run ended there, though, as the New York Knicks - the 2026 champions after beating the San Antonio Spurs - swept the Cavaliers in the conference finals.
This season, Kenny Atkinson is expected to open with Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Peyton Watson, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen as the starting five. On paper, that group gives Cleveland plenty of firepower, and Watson’s arrival only adds another layer to the roster. The Cavaliers got Watson from the Denver Nuggets in a sign-and-trade, and Harden played a role in recruiting him to Cleveland.
Harden’s résumé still stacks up with nearly anyone in the league. Over his career, he has played for the Thunder, Houston Rockets, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Clippers and Cavaliers, putting together regular-season averages of 24.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game, along with playoff averages of 22.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 6.4 assists.
He’s a top-75 player of all time, a 11-time All-Star, and an eight-time All-NBA selection. His trophy case also includes the 2011-12 Sixth Man of the Year award with the Thunder and the 2017-18 MVP award with the Rockets.
The Cavaliers open the season on the road against LeBron and the 76ers, and that matchup should bring plenty of buzz. It would have been a different kind of headline if LeBron had joined Harden, Mitchell, Mobley and Allen, but he instead signed a two-year deal with the 76ers to team with Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and Jaylen Brown.
For Harden, the bigger question now is whether a championship is still in the cards before he retires. He has been to the NBA Finals once, back in 2012, when the Thunder fell to LeBron and the Miami Heat in five games.
Cleveland brought Harden back on a three-year, $97 million contract this offseason. He’ll make $30,647,619 this season and $32,180,000 next season, with a player option worth $33,712,381 for 2028-29.
In Other News...
Jarrett Allen Trade Buzz Puts The Cavs In A Tough Spot
Trade talk around Jarrett Allen has been hard to miss, but the Cavaliers center is taking it in stride after another strong season in Cleveland. Allen has been a key piece on both ends of the floor, giving the Cavs size, rim protection and steady production inside while helping anchor what has been one of the teams most important frontcourt roles.
Allen acknowledged the speculation, but he has kept his focus on staying ready and being the best player he can be. For Cleveland, that creates a familiar kind of tension in the offseason: a player the team clearly values is also the kind of name that tends to surface whenever rival front offices start looking for help, leaving the Cavs to weigh stability against the noise around him. [Read more 🡒]
Jarrett Allen Trade Buzz Puts Cleveland In A Tough Spot
Jarrett Allen has drawn interest from multiple NBA teams, but the Cavaliers have been steady in their response. Cleveland has listened to the calls, yet none of the offers on the table have been convincing enough to make the roster better, which is the only bar the front office appears willing to use in a potential deal. Allens value to the Cavaliers remains tied to more than his name recognition, with the team viewing him as a major part of what it wants to keep intact.
The bigger challenge for Cleveland is what Allen represents in the bigger picture of the frontcourt. The Cavs see him and Evan Mobley as the interior pairing they are counting on to stabilize the defense, so moving Allen would have to come with a clear upgrade elsewhere. For now, no proposal has met that standard, and the team has declined every inquiry while the market keeps poking around. [Read more 🡒]
Charge Just Signaled Which Young Talent They'll Prioritize This Season
With the G League season approaching, the Cleveland Charge and Oklahoma City Blue have already made a move that hints at how each club wants to shape its roster. The teams swapped returning player rights in a deal that centered on Cleveland forward Zack Austin, a familiar developmental piece who logged significant minutes for Oklahoma City last season and remains part of the Charge's plans going forward.
For Cleveland, the transaction clears a path to keep leaning into Austin while rearranging its broader list of young talent. Oklahoma City picked up the returning player rights to Killian Hayes, Justyn Hamilton and Babatunde Akingbola, along with a 2026 second-round pick, in a deal that reflects the early roster chessboard of the upcoming season. It is one of those small-but-telling G League moves that can quietly shape which prospects a team is most prepared to prioritize. [Read more 🡒]