James Harden is planning to return to the LA Clippers on a two-year, $70 million deal, a league supply advised ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk on Sunday.
Harden, who will flip 35 in August, averaged 16.6 factors and eight.5 assists in 72 video games for the Clippers this previous season. He landed in Los Angeles after lastly getting traded early within the common season as a result of a falling out with president of basketball operations Daryl Morey over Harden’s contractual scenario final summer season.
It was Harden’s third change-of-address in below three calendar years after his long-term run with the Houston Rockets, the place he turned an MVP and helped revolutionize the way in which offense is performed within the NBA.
Whereas now not posting massive scoring numbers, Harden confirmed this previous season that he stays a powerful pick-and-roll operator and good 3-point shooter whereas accepting a smaller offensive function taking part in alongside Paul George and Kawhi Leonard.
Harden nonetheless ranked second within the NBA in factors per isolation final season, a nod to his days as a 30-point scorer, however he additionally tried 153 catch-and-shoot 3-pointers — his most since 2017-18 — as he spent extra day without work the ball in L.A. His 72 video games performed have been his most in a season since 2018-19.
ESPN Stats & Data and Tim Bontemps contributed to this report.