As the Los Angeles Clippers head into a pivotal offseason following a bitter playoff exit, team president Lawrence Frank made one thing clear: bringing James Harden back is at the top of the organization’s to-do list.
Speaking to reporters via Zoom, Frank called Harden’s return the front office’s “first priority,” according to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. Harden holds a $36.3 million player option for the 2025–26 season and must decide whether to exercise it before the free agency period begins. If he declines it, the Clippers will shift focus toward a new multiyear agreement.
“Because James has a player option, it would be irresponsible for me not to have contingency plans with it,” Frank acknowledged. “But I’m going in with the intent that if he doesn’t pick up his option, that we’re going to be able to reach an agreement that works well for James and works well for the Clippers.”
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Despite Harden’s uneven postseason showing—most notably in the team’s first-round loss to Denver—Frank was effusive in his praise for the veteran guard’s regular-season contributions. Harden played in 79 games, logging the fifth-most total minutes in the NBA (2,789), finishing fifth in assists per game (8.7), and averaging 22.8 points.
“We really asked James to do a lot,” Frank said. “And at his age to deliver what he did… [He played in] 79 games, and he does that time and time and time again. We have a deep appreciation for that sort of availability and to be able to deliver and do what he did… We have a great level of appreciation for what James did this year.”
Frank also reaffirmed the franchise’s commitment to building around both Harden and Kawhi Leonard. Leonard missed a large portion of the season while recovering from a knee issue that delayed his return until January 4. He ultimately appeared in just 37 regular season games.
“There’s another level for him out there that he’s going to get to next year,” Frank said of Leonard, per The Associated Press. “I think, looking at next year, that we can be better with more games from Kawhi.”
The Clippers are betting that with improved health and continuity, their All-Star duo can lead a deeper playoff run in 2026—assuming Harden returns to run it back.
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