After missing only 33 games from 2012-2020, Harden missed more than that in just the two seasons from '20-'22, and still only played 58 games in '22-'23. He did play 72 games in '23-'24 and even 79 games in '24-'25, but there's a chance that Harden won't be as durable going forward as he ages into his mid-thirties, and his hamstring has bothered him in recent previous seasons. Harden doesn't have quite the same burst and first step driving to the rim, and that's backed up by the numbers as he is shot below-average at the rim during three of the past four seasons. Not long ago, Harden was an MVP-level player, and one of the greatest scorers of all time. He could hit contested step-back threes, had a dangerous floater game, and had the craft to finish effectively at the rim. Despite not looking like the most athletic guy, he could blow-by defenders with his change of pace and ball-handling skills. He shows those flashes at times, but doesn't consistently still put that level of pressure on the defense. However, while he may not be an MVP-level player, he's still a borderline All-Star caliber player and was an All-Star in 2025. He can still get to his step-back three, and now uses similar footwork to create space in the midrange for easy short jumpers. Harden has been one of the best passers in the league, and that skill may be the one thing that stays as he ages. Harden can carve up defenses in pick-and-roll through slick pocket passes to the roller, accurate lobs on alley-oops, and lasers to weakside shooters. Defensively, Harden has always been a minus but can survive as a decent on-ball defender and stout post defender, and the Clippers were able to have an elite defense in '24-'25. It's off-ball where he has most of his struggles, either losing his man or failing to rotate to help. Harden's limitations on defense make it so you almost have to switch a lot as a team. At nearly age 36 heading into free agency in 2025, Harden is at the age where it might be smart to lock down as much future money as possible, but I also wouldn't blame him for taking shorter-term deals in order to give himself more flexibility, especially considering how much money he has already made. It also will be interesting to see how much some of his off-court drama and inconsistent postseason performances impact his interest from other teams. The former has seemed to quell a bit in the past, but he continues to have bad playoff games in big moments.