The 2025 NBA offseason is like going to be one filled with major change. However, there a few teams that won't be getting rid of their starting guards.
Two of those, are the LA Clippers and Dallas Mavericks.
According to a new report from NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Clippers are expected to keep James Harden and the Mavericks are expected to keep Kyrie Irving.
"No one, to be clear, is forecasting Irving or Harden to leave their current situations in Dallas and Los Angeles," Fischer said. "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 Denver Nuggets."
"What links Irving and Harden in 2025: The two thirtysomething stars sit atop this summer’s anticipated list of free agent point guards, both hold contracts that contain a player option for next season and they are simultaneously seeking longer-term arrangements with their respective teams." Fischer added.
In the case of Harden, he has a $36.3 million player option for the 2025-26 NBA season that he must exercise by June 29. The Clippers will be a pretty limited team if they're trying to remain under the first apron. However, Clippers President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank made it very clear that he wants to re-sign James Harden.
"Now, because James has a player option, it'd be irresponsible for me not to have contingency plans with it, but I'm going in with the intent that if he doesn't pick up his option, that we're gonna be able to reach an agreement that works well for James and works well for the Clippers," Frank said during his exit interview.
While everyone is expecting James Harden to remain a Clipper, crazier things have happened. Both Paul George and Elton Brand left the franchise in situations where no one expected them to.
