Judge Dismisses James Harden’s Misdemeanor Gun Charge

A misdemeanor charge filed against NBA guard James Harden for unlawfully carrying a weapon in Texas has been dismissed, reports John Hanna of The Associated Press.

Harden was arrested in June 13 in Houston after police found during a traffic stop that he had a handgun in his vehicle. As Hanna writes, it’s considered a misdemeanor in Texas for an individual to have a gun in “plain view” in a vehicle without a license to carry it.

While the violation is considered punishable by up to a year in jail, Harden will avoid a criminal record after completing an alternative resolution program, court records show. An alternative resolution program allows a defendant to avoid a conviction by performing community service, according to Hanna, who says court documents in Harris County don’t provide the details of Harden’s agreement.

The case had not been considered a factor in Harden’s free agency negotiations with the Cavaliers. Although a deal has not yet been finalized, there has been an expectation for most of the summer that the former Most Valuable Player will eventually return to Cleveland on a two- or three-year contract after declining his $42.3MM player option for 2026/27 in June.