10 Teams James Harden Could Carry on His Own

James Harden is having a career year, and as a result, it’s going to be difficult for the Oklahoma City Thunder to retain the 22-year-old shooting guard following the 2012-13 NBA season.

Extension talks can commence when free agency opens this summer, but once those negotiations begin, the million-dollar question becomes, how much is the sixth man of the year actually worth?

Is Harden a max-contract player? A mini-max player?

What we do know is that Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are locked up long-term, and that it could very well come down to retaining Harden or Serge Ibaka moving forward—not both.

If the team lets Harden become a restricted free agent, he’ll begin receiving offers from organizations next summer. It’s difficult to anticipate a team’s cap space moving too far into the future, but putting money aside, there are a handful of squads that Harden could jump on and seemingly take over immediately.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers desperately need to bolster their perimeter positions, and while they could look to do that through the draft this summer, adding James Harden next offseason could set the team up to build one of the best backcourts in the entire NBA.

Kyrie Irving is already becoming a premier point guard in this league, but giving him a go-to scorer at the shooting guard position would help take the scoring pressure off and allow him to get others involved on a regular basis.

Boston Celtics

Despite a 44-point outburst against the Miami Heat this postseason, Rajon Rondo isn't likely to become a big-time scoring threat in Boston anytime soon.

If the Celtics do lose Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to free agency this summer, James Harden could step in and become the go-to scorer that Boston will need in the not-so-distant future.

Having shot 39 percent from the three-point line and averaging 16.8 points in the regular season—all behind Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook—Harden could help make the rebuilding process in Boston a smooth one moving forward.

Portland Trail Blazers

When Brandon Roy announced he would be retiring from the NBA last offseason, the Portland Trail Blazers looked to Jamal Crawford to fill the void left at the shooting guard position.

With Crawford now expected to "explore free agency" this summer, the team is back to square one.

The Blazers are going to have money to spend this summer, but if they’re creative enough to make it last through next year, James Harden could be the perfect addition to the team's rebuilding roster.

Orlando Magic

If the Orlando Magic trade Dwight Howard, it’s unlikely that they’ll get even value in return considering the caliber of player they’d be sending away.

If they don’t trade him, chances are they’ll lose him for nothing as an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Regardless of how it happens, if the Magic lose Howard at any point over the next year, James Harden could come in and help rebuild an organization that will need a star to help them forget about the big man sooner rather than later.

Adding a player in Harden, who can score in seemingly any situation, would drastically help the Magic on the offensive side of the floor, where they were just 21^st in points per game this year.

Dallas Mavericks

The roster in Dallas is likely to change drastically over the next few seasons.

Jason Kidd and Jason Terry are free agents this summer, Shawn Marion has an early termination option next year and Vince Carter is at the mercy of the team options in his current deal.

The Dallas Mavericks are an aging team, and while James Harden would have to compete with Dirk Nowitzki for scoring rights at first, he could very easily become the piece that keeps Dallas relevant moving toward the future.

Phoenix Suns

The Phoenix Suns are entering a phase of transition, and their backcourt is going to need some serious bolstering over the next couple of seasons.

Whether Steve Nash stays or goes this summer, the 38-year-old’s days in Phoenix are coming to an end. It’s possible that the team could target a shooting guard in this year’s draft, but even if that’s the case, the Suns need both depth and talent as they re-create their roster moving forward.

Known for their fast pace and prolific offense over the years, the team could target James Harden and bring him in as the primary scorer as they enter a new era of basketball in the desert.

San Antonio Spurs

With so many comparisons between James Harden and Manu Ginobili, the San Antonio Spurs could be the perfect landing place for Harden if he can’t re-sign with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Ginobili has clearly accepted a bench role in San Antonio throughout his career, so bringing in Harden as the starter could be a way of transitioning into the future without a massive rebuild having to take place.

Tim Duncan, although still productive, is past his prime, and while Tony Parker is the MVP of the team this year, Harden could become the No. 1 option in San Antonio his first year with the team.

Golden State Warriors

Despite Klay Thompson stepping in and producing after Monta Ellis was traded this past season, depth is still an issue when it comes to the Golden State Warriors' backcourt.

Stephen Curry may be the star in Golden State right now, but if Harden were to join the squad following next season, it’s not too difficult to imagine the shooting guard taking over the offense and becoming the No. 1 option for the 2013-14 season.

Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings may not look to extend Tyreke Evans this summer, and James Harden could be the perfect replacement.

Without Evans on the roster, Harden could take control of the perimeter in Sacramento and become the team’s first scoring option on seemingly every possession.

If the team can get creative and clear some cap space along with the future contract of Evans, they could look to bring on Harden for the 2013-14 season.

Houston Rockets

If the Houston Rockets decide that the Kevin Martin era is coming to a close, James Harden can slide right in for the 2013-14 season.

Martin will be an unrestricted free agent next summer at the same time, Harden will be able to test the market and begin receiving offers.

Martin has been a reliable 20-point-per-game scorer in Houston, and quite frankly, there’s no reason to believe it would be any different for a player with Harden’s shooting and scoring ability.