Harden gun charge dismissed by Texas judge

PHILADELPHIA (AP):

A misdemeanour gun charge against Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden has been dismissed in Texas after he completed an alternative resolution programme that allowed him to avoid a criminal record, court records show.

Harris County Criminal Court Judge Alex Salgado in Houston dismissed the charge Thursday at the request of the district attorney’s office, following Harden’s completion of the programme, which typically involves community service. Court documents did not specify the terms of his agreement.

Harden, 36, was arrested on June 13 in Houston after police found a handgun in his vehicle. Texas law makes it a misdemeanour to have a gun “in plain view” in a vehicle without a licence, punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine of up to US$4,000.

Neither the district attorney’s office nor Harden’s attorney immediately responded to requests for comment. The Cavaliers also did not respond to inquiries.

Harden finished his 17th NBA season in May when the eventual champions, the New York Knicks, swept the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals. He averaged 23.6 points per game during the regular season, appearing in 70 of 82 games.

Though he has expressed a desire to remain in Cleveland, Harden declined to exercise a US$42.3 million option for next season in favour of negotiating a longer contract. A deal has yet to be finalised.

An 11-time All-Star and eight-time All-NBA selection, Harden won MVP honours in the 2017-18 season with the Houston Rockets, averaging 30.4 points per game and leading the team to the Western Conference finals, where they lost to Golden State.