Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden was arrested in Houston on Saturday for unlawfully carrying a weapon, per the Harris County District Clerk’s Office.
Officially, per the Harris County District Clerk’s Office, Harden was charged with “UNL CARRYING WEAPON – GUN IN MV.” This means that he was unlawfully carrying a weapon in a motor vehicle.
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The Cleveland guard was held on a $100 bond, which was posted on Saturday, and he is no longer in police custody. The charge is a misdemeanor, and based on the summary of the case, relates to the handgun not being properly holstered.
Harden was arrested at 3:41 a.m. local time on Saturday morning. The report on the clerk’s office website says the next setting will be held June 22, meaning a decision on further steps in this case will be considered then.
The Cavs released a statement on Saturday afternoon.
“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.”
The guard joined the Cavaliers ahead of the 2026 NBA trade deadline. Cleveland acquired him from the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Darius Garland and a second-round pick.
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Harden has been in the NBA since 2009. He was drafted with the third overall pick in that year’s draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Over his 15-year career, the guard has moved all over the league, with stops in Houston, Brooklyn and Philadelphia before joining the Clippers and then the Cavs.
In 26 regular-season games with Cleveland last year, Harden averaged 20.5 points, 4.8 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game.
The veteran guard has a player option for the 2026-2027 season, but is expected to explore an extension with the Cavaliers this offseason.