New James Harden Rumors Update Cavs Contract Timeline After LeBron James to 76ers

James Harden still hasn't officially re-signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers, though ESPN's Ramona Shelburne believes it likely won't be long now and may be more about giving the team some flexibility to improve.

"I think that could happen relatively soon. The question is gonna be is it a two-year deal, a three-year deal, what the structure looks like is gonna determine what the money looks like," she reported during a Thursday appearance on NBA Today. "But the Cavs are still poking around with Peyton Watson and I think that's why James has given them a lot of room to negotiate."

Harden, 36, was acquired by the Cavs last February and appeared in 26 games for the team, averaging 20.5 points and 7.7 assists per game during the regular season and 19.2 points and 5.5 assists in the playoffs.

He was something of a dud in the Eastern Conference Finals, however, shooting just 38.9 percent from the field and 17.9 percent from three in the New York Knicks' sweep of the Cavs. He scored just 12 points and shot 2-of-8 from the field in the decisive Game 4.

There's certainly a world in which Harden didn't return to the Cavaliers, with reports suggesting that LeBron James was angling for Kyrie Irving to join him in Cleveland. That didn't come to fruition, however, as the Dallas Mavericks weren't interested in trading Irving, and James ultimately signed with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Barring a surprise, Harden will return to Cleveland, though holding off his signing will allow the team to explore other avenues to improve the roster. Watson, 23, would be a pretty big splash after making a big jump last season for the Denver Nuggets (14.6 PPG, 41.1 percent from three), providing defense on the wing and shooting.

He is a restricted free agent, however, meaning the Nuggets can match any offer. And the team has reportedly offered him a five-year, $70 million deal, though they are already a second-apron team and if they can't clear some salary, a big offer sheet could open the door for the Nuggets letting him walk.

That all seems unlikely, of course. But for now, Harden and the Cavs are in something of a holding pattern.