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There has been very little reported on the type of offers James Harden will receive in his free agency, but a potential offer of the full non-taxpayer midlevel from the Los Angeles Lakers starting at $12.8 million will likely be far less than what the Los Angeles Clippers will offer.

"James Harden could get double that to return to the Clippers," said Adrian Wojnarowski of the Lakers' pursuit.

On the eve of the 2023 free agency period, Harden made the surprise decision to exercise his $35.6 million player option for the 23-24 season with the Philadelphia 76ers with the intent to be traded to the Clippers. Harden was finally traded after the start of the season and was largely an impact player for the Clippers. 

Harden declined to accept a three-year, $161 million extension from the Brooklyn Nets in 2021 in hopes of signing a four-year, $227 million during free agency in 2022. Harden ended up requesting a trade to the Sixers, declined his $47.3 million option, and instead signed a one-plus-one worth $68.6 million. 

The Clippers could still likely pay Harden more than any other team, but it is likely less than what he was anticipating as the franchise attempts to stay under the second apron in the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement environment. 

Via Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN

This is why you always take the best offer ASAP. Too many players gamble for the potential of more money and end up being screwed. See Dennis Schroeder and Harden. Brunson is doing the right thing and taking the Knicks max right now.

Harden's Adidas shoe deal would look a lot better and brighter under the Lakers lights , the fan base would love James in the purple and gold...

elmdawgg69 wrote:This is why you always take the best offer ASAP. Too many players gamble for the potential of more money and end up being screwed. See Dennis Schroeder and Harden. Brunson is doing the right thing and taking the Knicks max right now.

What about all the players who make money this way? Quickley just more than doubled his contract for example, happens all the time. Or Brunson who you mention, he got quite a bit more from NYK than staying in DAL.

Also if Brunson is being offered a full max, then he's not leaving any potential money on the table. Not a good example.

HotelVitale wrote:

elmdawgg69 wrote:This is why you always take the best offer ASAP. Too many players gamble for the potential of more money and end up being screwed. See Dennis Schroeder and Harden. Brunson is doing the right thing and taking the Knicks max right now.

What about all the players who make money this way? Quickley just more than doubled his contract for example, happens all the time. Or Brunson who you mention, he got quite a bit more from NYK than staying in DAL.

Also if Brunson is being offered a full max, then he's not leaving any potential money on the table. Not a good example.

Brunson is a bad example cause dallas didnt even want to pay him the 4 year 55mil which he would of taken.. Brunson has not yet signed the max extension which can be offered at some point and would be worth a lot less if he waited due to his current contract amount.. Jimmy Butler is the better example of a player that got way more waiting.

haste10176 wrote:

HotelVitale wrote:

elmdawgg69 wrote:This is why you always take the best offer ASAP. Too many players gamble for the potential of more money and end up being screwed. See Dennis Schroeder and Harden. Brunson is doing the right thing and taking the Knicks max right now.

What about all the players who make money this way? Quickley just more than doubled his contract for example, happens all the time. Or Brunson who you mention, he got quite a bit more from NYK than staying in DAL.

Also if Brunson is being offered a full max, then he's not leaving any potential money on the table. Not a good example.

Brunson is a bad example cause dallas didnt even want to pay him the 4 year 55mil which he would of taken.. Brunson has not yet signed the max extension which can be offered at some point and would be worth a lot less if he waited due to his current contract amount.. Jimmy Butler is the better example of a player that got way more waiting.

There are lots of examples. More than the occasional guy who turns something down and bets on himself.

Just looked up the Brunson thing, sounds like he would take that not out of security but rather to help the Knicks out. I think he’d be a fool to do it but either way I don’t think that’d be because he’s not willing to ‘bet on himself’

HotelVitale wrote:

elmdawgg69 wrote:This is why you always take the best offer ASAP. Too many players gamble for the potential of more money and end up being screwed. See Dennis Schroeder and Harden. Brunson is doing the right thing and taking the Knicks max right now.

What about all the players who make money this way? Quickley just more than doubled his contract for example, happens all the time. Or Brunson who you mention, he got quite a bit more from NYK than staying in DAL.

Also if Brunson is being offered a full max, then he's not leaving any potential money on the table. Not a good example.

The difference is Harden had an offer that would have been roughly the same per year, just an extra year. He gave up 3 years of max security hoping for a fourth. It was a stupid decision at the time.

TheSeeker wrote:

HotelVitale wrote:

elmdawgg69 wrote:This is why you always take the best offer ASAP. Too many players gamble for the potential of more money and end up being screwed. See Dennis Schroeder and Harden. Brunson is doing the right thing and taking the Knicks max right now.

What about all the players who make money this way? Quickley just more than doubled his contract for example, happens all the time. Or Brunson who you mention, he got quite a bit more from NYK than staying in DAL.

Also if Brunson is being offered a full max, then he's not leaving any potential money on the table. Not a good example. (EDIT looked it up and i gt what you're saying now)

The difference is Harden had an offer that would have been roughly the same per year, just an extra year. He gave up 3 years of max security hoping for a fourth. It was a stupid decision at the time.

Sure, Harden's probably a good example, I'm just saying you shouldn't only point out the guys who lost money.

Also as a Sixers fan I don't know if Harden was offered 3 years recently, I think the Sixers offered him 3 years back in 2022 but that's all I can remember that was concrete. And I'm not sure it was max money then either. He had a rough 2021-22 (and a brutal PO) so good chance it wasn't.