James Harden and Peyton Watson signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers within days of each other. The Cavaliers offseason has shifted gears a few times since last season ended. They weren’t able to lure LeBron James back to his hometown team. And, Harden declined his player-option of $42.3 million for the upcoming season.
But now, Harden is officially staying with the Cavaliers on a three-year, $97 million contract. And Watson was part of a sign-and-trade deal involving the Denver Nuggets and Cavaliers (and three other teams). Ultimately, the Cavaliers landed their man, signing Watson to a four-year, $88 million contract in the process.
The Cavaliers now boast a formidable starting lineup of Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, and Watson. The hope is this new-look roster will be able to get over the hump and land back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2018.
James Harden Played Key Role in Recruiting Peyton Watson
Watson, 23, should fill a hole on this Cavaliers roster. Last season, they were missing a versatile, small-forward who boasts solid rebounding numbers. Watson also improved his scoring tremendously last year, and could become a reliable force as part of the aforementioned, projected starting lineup.
While Harden seemingly had his own contract on his mind, he reportedly had the best interests of the Cavaliers in mind as well. According to ESPN Senior NBA Insider, Shams Charania, Harden not only signed for less money per year, he also recruited Watson to Cleveland.
“The Cavs needed Harden to lower his annual salary in a three-year deal to get under the first and second aprons, as well as to give Cleveland the time to trade for Peyton Watson. Harden played a key recruiting role with Watson, staying in communication to push him to Cleveland,” the post on X reads as per @ShamsCharania.
While Harden has had a Hall of Fame caliber career, he’s actually been a bit of a journeyman throughout his career. The Cavaliers are the sixth team of his 17-year NBA Career. So, the news that he’d be recruiting others players to his team is somewhat surprising.
Despite that, seemingly the only thing missing from his list of accolades is an NBA Championship. Harden ranks No. 9 All-Time in scoring in NBA history (29,339). He’s also made the playoffs in all 17 of the seasons he’s played in the NBA. That’s the longest streak by any active player in the NBA.
The Cavaliers haven’t been a mainstay in the NBA Finals since (LeBron) James left town. They appeared in four straight NBA Finals (2015-2018), last winning it all in 2016.
Watson’s Improved All-Around Game Will Be Welcome in Cleveland
While Watson had a very solid year during the 2025-26 NBA season, the best of his four-year career, his campaign was cut short due to injury. Watson suffered a Grade 2 strain of his left hamstring, originally in February of 2025. He attempted a return to the court in March, but was shut down for the remainder of the season shortly after. He would miss the playoffs as well.
Last year, Watson, the No. 30 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, enjoyed the best season of his NBA career — so far. He averaged 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.5 made 3-pointers per game. These were all career-highs for the versatile small-forward. He added 1.1 blocks per game on 49.1% shooting from the field.
James Harden’s Role in Recruiting Peyton Watson Revealed Following Cavaliers Contract