With the NBA offseason now in August, most of the big free agency decisions have already been made.
The official NBA future of James Harden is still undecided, at least officially, but Harden did receive some major news about a pending legal matter in Houston, Texas.
Harden was previously arrested on June 13 and charged with the unlawful carrying of a weapon, TMZ reported.
It appears that the gun case is now resolved for the 11-time NBA All-Star, with the Harris County District Attorney choosing to dismiss the matter on Thursday.
The paperwork was submitted and signed by a judge after prosecutors said that Harden finished an “alternative resolution agreement,” although exact details of what that agreement entailed were not revealed, per TMZ.
Harden’s arrest stemmed from a traffic stop. During the stop, police alleged that the shooting guard had a gun in plain view, and the weapon was also not in a holster.
Of course, Harden has deep roots in Houston after playing for the Houston Rockets from 2012-2021. He blossomed into a clear-cut superstar with the franchise, which included winning the 2018 NBA MVP Award.
Harden finished last season with the Cleveland Cavaliers after he was traded to the team midseason from the Los Angeles Clippers. The Cavaliers are widely expected to re-sign the veteran free agent to a new contract, but the negotiations were reportedly delayed while Cleveland pursued a reunion with fellow free agent LeBron James.
The Cavaliers needed the potential extra cap space in order to entice James, who recently announced he was joining the Philadelphia 76ers, a team Harden played parts of two seasons with from 2022-2023.
Harden never commented publicly on his offseason arrest, but he now has a clear slate to focus on the upcoming NBA season.
The next NBA contract Harden signs will further elevate his on-court salary earnings, which have already surpassed $411 million over 17 seasons in his career.
