James Harden isn’t closing the door on a future overseas run, even after locking in his short-term future with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
While Cleveland is holding training camp in Spain ahead of the 2026-27 season, the former NBA MVP said he can picture himself playing in Europe or Spain before his career is done. Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops shared the comments Friday, and Harden made it clear the idea has real appeal to him.
“I would love to,” Harden said Wednesday when asked whether he would consider playing in Europe or Spain. “Spain is one of the most beautiful places in the world.
Fortunately, I’ve been here. I’ve been to Barcelona, to Madrid.
And those places are amazing as well. Every time I come here, the experience is how it should be.
Love it here.”
For now, though, Harden’s next chapter is still in Cleveland. The 37-year-old signed a three-year, $97 million contract this offseason, and that deal includes a player option for the 2028-29 season. He also passed on a $42.3 million player option earlier in the offseason before reaching the new agreement.
Harden joined the Cavaliers in a midseason trade from the Los Angeles Clippers last season and helped push Cleveland to the Eastern Conference Finals. The run ended with a four-game sweep at the hands of the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks, but both sides still had mutual interest in keeping the partnership going.
That’s exactly what happened, with Cleveland bringing Harden back while keeping its core together around Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley as it gears up for another title chase.
So while Harden’s comments in Spain hint at a possible overseas stop later on, his current contract and recent commitment make the present picture pretty clear: the Cavaliers are where his attention is right now.
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Kenny Atkinson Is Challenging The Cavs In One Crucial Way
The Cavaliers have taken their preseason work overseas, using training camp in Malaga, Spain, as more than just a chance to get shots up and legs under them. Kenny Atkinson has framed the trip as a test of adaptation, with the staff leaning into team bonding, scrimmaging, conditioning and mental drills as Cleveland tries to build a sharper foundation before the season begins. Peyton Watson and the rest of the group are getting a very different kind of camp than the usual routine back home.
What makes the setup notable is the emphasis on the part of the game that can be easy to overlook in October: how a team responds when the environment changes and the work gets uncomfortable. Atkinson has made mental performance a priority in Malaga, and the Cavaliers are trying to turn that into camaraderie and resilience as they prepare for what comes next. The real question is how much of that edge carries over once the trip ends and the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
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Mitchell was brought in before the 2022-23 season and has since locked in his long-term future with a four-year, $273 million extension, so this is very much his team now. Cleveland will open the season with Mitchell in the lineup against James 76ers, a matchup that already carries the kind of storyline the NBA likes to package and fans in Cleveland will not need much convincing to circle on the calendar. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Had To Move Fast After LeBron Changed Everything
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Instead of sitting still, Cleveland reacted with a flurry of moves that included signing Mario Hezonja, acquiring Peyton Watson and bringing back James Harden. The Cavaliers now have an immediate early-season measuring stick too, with their 2026-27 opener coming against the 76ers, a matchup that will keep the LeBron storyline tied to both teams for the foreseeable future. [Read more 🡒]