James Harden declined his player option in order to sign a new two-year contract with the Los Angeles Clippers worth $81.5 million, ESPN reported Sunday.

The 11-time All-Star guard will return to the Clippers after spending the past two seasons there. The second year of the new pact reportedly has a player option and partial guarantees.

Harden, who turns 36 before next season begins, played 79 games (all starts) for Los Angeles in 2024-25 and averaged 22.8 points, 8.7 assists and 5.7 rebounds, though his 3-point shooting ticked down from 38.1 percent the year before to 35.2 percent.

He was named to the All-NBA third team, his first All-NBA honor since 2019-20.

Harden also put up 18.7 points, 9.1 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game during the Clippers’ seven-game playoff loss to the Denver Nuggets in the first round. The Clippers were the fifth seed in the Western Conference but will strive for better postseason results with Harden at the center of their plans.

–Field Level Media