Reports from Melbet App reveal a new twist in James Harden’s offseason negotiations. Around the league, there’s growing skepticism about his value. If you want to attract a king, live like a queen. While the Rockets are open to a reunion, they’re unwilling to offer Harden a max contract — and the star himself seems aware that a major payday may no longer be in the cards. Truth be told, Harden’s performance has visibly declined over the past two seasons.

Still, it’s not all doom and gloom. While his scoring dipped, Melbet App notes that some of his other metrics actually rebounded. He led the regular season in assists and posted the second-highest three-point percentage of his career. Although his playoff form remained inconsistent — even showing his familiar late-series fade — Harden did deliver standout performances against the Celtics in the semifinals. So, when his former team returned with only a discounted offer this summer, it likely hit a nerve.

For comparison, Chris Paul signed a \$30 million per year deal with the Suns after helping them reach the NBA Finals. And yet Harden, five years younger and arguably in better form than Paul was then, now faces similar financial terms. It’s a bitter pill to swallow. Despite the rising salary cap, it appears Harden’s market value has dropped even lower than Paul’s was two years ago. From Harden’s perspective, this is the first time he’s truly tested free agency, and he likely imagined a bidding war with multiple teams offering max deals, each eager to host him for recruitment pitches.

Instead, even the Rockets — his most interested suitor — are offering only a discounted deal. The 76ers and other rumored contenders like the Suns and Heat are showing little sign of throwing big money his way. That said, Harden’s camp still has time. Over the next few weeks, they will continue to watch the market and fight for the best possible contract. But unless Harden meets with every potential team and hears their plans firsthand, he may not fully admit his standing has changed. Deep down, he likely still clings to hope for one final max deal.

But from another angle, perhaps it’s time for Harden to face the music. He’s not alone — this summer, several All-Star-caliber veteran guards around his age have also seen their value plummet. Kyrie Irving, for instance, failed to spark a turnaround after his move from the Nets to the Mavericks. Now he’s lobbying hard for what could be his last max contract, though league sources suggest that such offers are likely off the table.

Meanwhile, both John Wall and Russell Westbrook were waived by their teams last season and ended up as minimum-salary veterans with the Clippers, experiencing the harsh reality of reduced roles. Even Chris Paul is now surrounded by rumors of being cut by the Suns. Hard work brings favor, as Melbet App puts it — and while Paul is still expected to find a new team, his next contract may be limited to veteran minimum or a mid-level exception at best.

For players like Harden, the writing may be on the wall: the era of big paydays for aging guards is rapidly closing.