Cavaliers' James Harden free agency plan gives Mavericks a timely break

The Dallas Mavericks organization can kick off its offseason plans after the NBA Finals concluded with Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks winning the NBA title. It was a heartbreaking experience to start, as the former Mav did something Dallas hadn't done since 2011. However, the franchise received some good news recently that should have fans feeling excited ahead of free agency.

Last month, NBA Insider Brian Windhorst jumped on ESPN to outline how the Cleveland Cavaliers plan to re-sign James Harden. This keeps him in the Eastern Conference rather than letting him walk or possibly sign with a team in the West.

"What I believe their plan is going to be is that James Harden is going to opt out of his contract, and he's going to sign a new contract. This is not theoretical, James Harden will be back with the Cavs next year, and it will be for multiple years guaranteed," Windhorst reported.

This is a good sign for the Dallas Mavericks, as the franchise experienced constant heartbreak and enduring pain against the MVP during his time in the Western Conference. This gives Cooper Flagg and the Mavs another superstar they won't have to stress over since Harden is staying in the East, especially since the team is trying to get back to the postseason soon in a competitive conference.

Harden seems destined to never play in the West again

James Harden was one of the Mavericks' kryptonite players during his reign out West from 2009-21 and again from 2023-26. He has been in the Western Conference for nearly his entire career, and MFFLs know him well.

Fans first got a glimpse of him during his early years with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He showed early signs of his MVP potential during the 2011 NBA Playoffs when he recorded two games with 23 or more points in the Western Conference Finals against Dallas.

A year later, Harden and the Thunder swept the Mavericks in the 2012 NBA Playoffs.

This, though, would be the beginning of his dominant reign against the Mavericks. The 2018 MVP found huge success during his time with the Houston Rockets, as Dallas had to suffer some pain against Harden. The bearded shooting guard posted a 17-12 record against the Mavericks during his time with Houston.

He posted MVP numbers, averaging 27.5 points per game during his Houston matchups against Dallas. Mavs fans clearly remember his 2015 playoff performance, where he dropped 42 points in a nail-biter Game 3. His Rockets dominated the Mavericks with a gentleman's sweep, closing out the series in five games.

Dallas ended up getting their revenge against Harden in 2024 when it defeated the LA Clippers in the opening round of the playoffs. The sharpshooter was still a problem during that time, as former coach Jason Kidd tried to come up with strategies to stop him from using his lethal step-back.

Now, Harden's reign in the West is thankfully a thing of the past. The former MVP seems destined to stay out East for a long time, as the Cavaliers look determined to lock him up for a couple of years. Harden did play a role in helping Cleveland advance to the Eastern Conference Finals this postseason, and they don't want to let him go anywhere.

Keeping him away from the West will be good for the Mavericks, as they try to rebuild for the future.

The West is only getting stronger

The San Antonio Spurs won the Western Conference this year. They made it clear their young squad will be a headache for the future, and Victor Wembanyama is someone expected to be a face of the NBA for years to come. Even though they didn't win the title, their future seems bright.

Plus, other teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Denver Nuggets don't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. All the teams listed still have MVP or superstar players expected to be elite competitors in the league in the future. This means Dallas' path to winning in the West will only be harder.

So, Mavs fans should be grateful that Harden's time in the Western Conference seems like a thing of the past. Dallas will need all the help it can get to make it back to the postseason. Keeping Harden out of the gauntlet that is the Western Conference is just the start.

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