ESPN salary expert Bobby Marks wrote an article about issues related to the renewal of the Clippers and Harden. "The Clippers are financially flexible to offer Harden a raise and still stay below the luxury tax line. Harden and Batum ($4.9 million) must decide whether to execute their contracts for the next season by June 29." Harden ranked fifth in playing time and played 79 games this season, his most regular season appearances since the 2016-17 season. He has also become the only player this season to score more than 1,500 points, assist more than 500 times, steal more than 100 times and block more than 50 times. It turns out that his annual salary of $35 million is worth the money. However, the excellent regular season performance was once again overshadowed by unstable performances in the playoffs. Harden scored only 33 points in his fourth, fifth and seventh game defeats against Denver.

"Considering that if Harden chooses to execute his contract for next season, he will not be eligible for a renewal, the most likely scenario is that he will give up the $36.3 million player option and the two sides reconvene a new contract. Given that Leonard has contracts for the next two years and Harden will be 36 years old in August, the term of the new contract should not exceed two years (38-year-old veteran rule)."