New Report Sheds Light on Kyrie Irving, James Harden NBA Futures

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ashish Mathur | Last updated May 25, 2025 2:44 PM ET

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving and Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden have player options for next season. The future Hall of Famers can pick up their player options or decline them and enter unrestricted free agency.

As unrestricted free agents, Irving and Harden can either re-sign with the Mavericks and Clippers, respectively, or join a new team.

Irving, who will miss a chunk of next season recovering from his left ACL tear, averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists this season in 50 games for the Mavericks, who missed the postseason. The 2016 NBA champion turns 34 in March.

Harden, who turns 36 in August, averaged 22.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 8.7 assists this season in 79 games. He made the All-NBA Third Team for the Clippers, who lost to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs in seven games.

While nothing is guaranteed in the NBA, it appears Irving and Harden will not be switching teams this summer. Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reports that Irving and Harden are expected to return to the Mavericks and Clippers, respectively.

"No one, to be clear, is forecasting Irving or Harden to leave their current situations in Dallas and Los Angeles," Fischer wrote. "Long before he sustained a season-ending knee injury in early March, Irving was widely projected to re-sign this summer with the Mavericks.

"Harden, meanwhile, appears to be no less entrenched in Clipperland ... even after LA's disappointing first-round exit to the Nuggets."

Irving has played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets and Mavericks. He was traded to Dallas by Brooklyn in February 2023.

Meanwhile, Harden has played for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Nets, Philadelphia 76ers and Clippers. He was traded to Los Angeles by Philadelphia in November 2023.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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