Even James himself didn't expect such a move.
You heard from Harden that it was Durant who proactively proposed splitting up. Originally, Harden intended to renew his contract and continue the championship pursuit with Durant, but to everyone's surprise, while the younger brother was ready to fight to the death, the boss was the first to back down.
Following your arrangement, Harden and DeRozan waited until Durant officially signed before signing with the Lakers, each securing a contract with a starting base max salary of 24.75 million, totaling 110 million over 3+1 years.
By choosing to team up with you, Harden and DeRozan both made financial sacrifices. Although the Thunder Team was unwilling to offer Harden the 35% max salary veteran designation, they were willing to pay a 30% max salary over 7 years. DeRozan, though unable to get a full 7-year veteran max, could still earn between a base max and a 7-year veteran max salary.
