James Harden joined Stephen Curry in the NBA's $200 million salary club over the weekend.
The Houston Rockets guard agreed a four-year "supermax" extension on his current deal that still has two years and $59 million to run. Harden, 27, will earn a guaranteed $228 million on a contract running until the summer of 2023.
It's a deal that brought praise from within the NBA and criticism from outside. LeBron James tweeted his congratulations on Sunday, while Harden's new teammate Chris Paul posted on Instagram. "CONGRATS!!!! To hell with the ball, lemme hold some dollar," Paul wrote.
Former NFL defensive tackle Terrance Knighton was unimpressed. "NFL makes billions a year," Knighton tweeted. "Time to get back to that negotiation table. And this time we need to stay strong and not budge. Make em Pay!!!"
Knighton went on to state his belief that Aaron Rodgers, twice NFL MVP, should be earning more than Harden. Rodgers will earn $12,550,000 from the Green Bay Packers in 2017.
What seems more likely than the NFL drastically hiking its salary cap to bring 53-player rosters in line with the NBA, is that Harden's record-breaking contract will soon be broken.
News OK reports that Russell Westbrook, the reigning NBA regular-season MVP, will surpass Harden's money if he agrees to a five-year contract extension.
Westbrook's would also be a "supermax" deal, earning him $207 million over the length of the extension plus the remainder of his current contract. The point guard, who made NBA history by averaging a triple double in the 2016-17 season, will have earned more than $235 million by the end of the extension in 2023.
Of course, Westbrook hasn't signed the deal yet. USA Today reported at the start of July that he could leave it untouched, until the expiry date of the start of the 2017-18 season. Westbrook could then opt out of his Thunder contract next summer and test free agency, as his new teammate Paul George is expected to do.
If he does sign the extension—well, Harden's record is likely to be short-lived.
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