James Harden is still on the market, but the hold-up is by design.
The veteran guard opted out of his deal and remains unsigned, even though he intends to re-sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers. For now, Harden is waiting while Cleveland works through the rest of its offseason business and keeps its options open.
That means the Cavs are still shopping for help on the wing before they circle back to Harden’s signing. Peyton Watson is now on their radar, joining Jonathan Kuminga as another name linked to Cleveland. Watson would also have to come via sign-and-trade, just like Kuminga, and the Cavs are clearly weighing that route as they try to reshape the roster.
Watson is a restricted free agent, and the Denver Nuggets have already put a five-year, $70 million offer on the table. He had a respectable 2025-26 season and has drawn interest around the league, with the Los Angeles Clippers and the Milwaukee Bucks among the teams that could get in Cleveland’s way.
The fit is obvious enough from the Cavs’ side. They need a wing, and Watson checks that box. At this stage, he is being treated as a priority, even as the team continues to monitor Kuminga.
Once the Mario Hezonja signing is out of the way, Cleveland’s next step is to land one of those targets. The plan is simple: get Kuminga or Watson, then bring Harden back. He already has an agreement in place, but he has not signed yet because the Cavaliers want the flexibility to keep working on those moves.
That flexibility was originally meant for LeBron James, but that path never materialized. So Cleveland has shifted gears and kept pushing forward, trying to get something done before settling the roster.
When Harden does officially return, the Cavs will have their core in place. He would join Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, with Darius Garland no longer in the mix after Cleveland parted ways with him.
In 20 games with Cleveland, Harden averaged 20.5 points, 7.7 assists and 4.8 rebounds. In the playoffs, he put up 19.2 points, 5.5 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game.
The Cavs already have plenty of talent, but they still need one more piece. Harden is giving them the room to chase it, and once that last move gets made, Cleveland can move ahead with its championship push.
In Other News...
Cavaliers Just Got Blasted Over The Move Fans Wanted Most
Charles Oakley did not hold back in his criticism of the Cavaliers, taking aim at the way the franchise has handled its roster and the lingering disappointment of never bringing LeBron James back to Cleveland. For fans, that old what-if still hangs over every offseason conversation, especially when the organization is trying to keep pace in a crowded Eastern Conference.
LeBron has now signed a two-year contract with the Philadelphia 76ers and said it will be his final NBA team, closing the door on any future homecoming. Cleveland, meanwhile, is moving forward after its Eastern Conference Finals loss by planning to re-sign James Harden and chase Jonathan Kuminga, a reminder that the front office is still searching for the right mix to break through. [Read more 🡒]
Donovan Mitchell Reacts Wildly To Tarik Skubal Trade News
The latest blockbuster on the baseball side of things turned into an immediate conversation piece well beyond the sport, as the Los Angeles Dodgers landed two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers. In return, Detroit picked up outfielder Zyhir Hope along with right-handers River Ryan and Brady Smith, a reminder that even the biggest talent moves still come with a steep prospect cost.
Skubal, for his part, sounded eager about the change of scenery and the chance to join a Dodgers staff that already carries a strong reputation. For Cleveland fans following along, it was the kind of star-for-futures trade that always gets attention, especially when the package includes two of Los Angeles' top 100 prospects and leaves plenty of room for debate about which side got the better end of the deal. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Could Reshape Their Wing Rotation With One Risky Move
The Cavaliers have been keeping an eye on the wing market, and one of the more intriguing names tied to them is a young, defense-first forward who could alter the shape of their rotation. Clevelands interest comes with a familiar type of offseason challenge: finding a way to add length and versatility without blowing up the rest of the roster, all while working through the realities of restricted free agency and a tight financial picture.
A sign-and-trade would give the Cavaliers a path into that conversation, but it would also force them to decide how much they are willing to sacrifice to make it happen. The asking price on the contract side has already pushed beyond the offers that have been floating around, and Denvers limited flexibility could make the mechanics tricky enough on their own before Cleveland even weighs what it would take to part with a rotation piece and draft capital. [Read more 🡒]