Predicting the contract James Harden signs in free agency

After a series of poor contract decisions, James Harden will certainly not have as many suitors as he wants heading into free agency. The star was traded from the Philadelphia Sixers at the beginning of this season for a package of picks and veterans. Philly and the star couldn't agree to a long-term deal with Harden wanting more max contract years than the Sixers were willing to offer.

Harden, who will turn 35 before his next NBA game is not the MVP-level veteran that he used to be. This season, the 2017 MVP averaged 16.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game on 42 percent shooting from the floor.

Even though Harden could likely average 20 points per game or more on a squad where is the second or first option, he is likely the third or fourth/fifth option on a title team. As he ages, the star's place in the league will fade and he won't be the dominant scoring force he used to be. As Harden heads toward the twilight of his career, it's worth what his next, and perhaps final, NBA contract looks like.

James Harden's free agency contract projection

While the Clippers might not be willing to offer the long-term commitment that Harden wants, it's likely that he will end up re-signing with the Clippers on a short-term max deal. Yes, L.A.'s best days of the Paul George and Kawhi Leonard duo are probably over, but the franchise is likely to keep a competitive roster as they get ready for their new arena.

While L.A. might be able to keep all three of their stars, the franchise is faced with the reality that Paul George might leave elsewhere this offseason. Whether George leaves or not is for another day, but the Clippers may panic and make sure they have two household names ahead of their season in their brand new stadium.

At the end of the day, Harden will likely get the benefit of Paul George's flirting with other teams and get a maximum contract for the next two years

James Harden's contract projection: 2 years | $70 million | Clippers