Key Points
- James Harden was arrested in Houston early June 13 on a weapons charge.
- He faces a misdemeanor count of unlawful carrying of a weapon.
- A handgun was found unholstered and in plain view in his car.
- Harden posted a $100 bond; arraignment is set for June 22.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden was arrested in Houston early Saturday and charged with misdemeanor unlawful carrying of a weapon, according to Harris County court records. He was released hours later on a $100 bond.
What the records show
Harden was taken into custody at 3:41 a.m. after a handgun was observed unholstered and in plain view on the seat of a car he owns, per the court records. He was booked at 4:57 a.m. and released after posting the $100 bond. As conditions of his release, he has been ordered not to possess weapons, not to consume alcohol or drugs, and to submit to random urine testing. His arraignment is scheduled for June 22. Harden is listed in court documents as a Houston resident.
Where it stands
The Cavaliers acknowledged the arrest in a statement: "The Cleveland Cavaliers are aware of the arrest of James Harden this morning and are in the process of gathering additional information. We are in contact with James and his representation and will continue to monitor developments as they become available. At this time, we will have no further comment." Harden's representatives declined to comment. The charge is a misdemeanor, and Harden has not entered a plea.
The timing
The arrest lands at a consequential moment in Harden's contract. He holds a $42 million player option for next season — only $13.3 million of it guaranteed — with a decision due June 29, as the NBA's offseason gets underway around the June 23 draft. Cleveland now weighs the news against that deadline.
Source: ESPN, The Washington Post
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