Rockets sign Harden to NBA’s biggest deal

The Houston Rockets signed guard James Harden to a four-year contract extension, giving him the richest deal in NBA history, worth a total of about $228 million guaranteed over six years.

The Rockets said the extension will run through the 2022-23 season but will not kick in until 2019. That means it will not affect their salary cap this season, so they are free to continue their roster upgrade. They added guard Chris Paul previously.

“Houston is home for me,” Harden said. Rockets owner Leslie Alexander said Harden’s “incredible work ethic, desire to win, and passion to be the best” make him “the perfect leader in our pursuit of another championship.”

Harden averaged 29.1 points and led the NBA with 11.2 assists last season.

Hawks: Chose not to match the four-year, $71 million offer to restricted freeagent guard Tim Hardaway Jr. by the Knicks. Hardaway played his first two seasons for the Knicks and then two seasons with the Hawks after being acquired in a trade for a first-round pick.

Timberwolves: Jamal Crawford, 37, signed a twoyear deal. He averaged 12.3 points per game off the bench last season for the Clippers.

76ers: Joel Embiid has been fined $10,000 by the NBA for inappropriate language on social media. This comes from the 76ers center saying “(Expletive) LaVar Ball” recently on Instagram live. His words came after Ball, the father of Lakers rookie point guard Lonzo Ball, made comments about Embiid and Ben Simmons on 97.5 FM The Fanatic.