James Harden has always been interested in Rockets.
The early talk about According to league sources, Yahoo Sports said that the player’s history dates back to before he asked for a trade from Brooklyn.
When Nets officials first learned of Harden’s waning commitment to their franchise, his purported interest in rejoining the Rockets was on Brooklyn’s radar as much as the looming threat of Philadelphia. , one hour before the Sixers played New York on the network’s Christmas Day broadcast.
In February, the 10-time All-Star was dealt to Philadelphia by a blockbuster five-player trade that also included Ben Simmons who was heading to Brooklyn.
Harden left Houston, Texas and the Rockets organization as a result. It’s where he morphed from Sixth Man of the Year to Most Valuable Player and one of the most recognizable athletes in America. Houston was his home and the Rockets were his team.
While Harden was frustrated with Kyrie Irving’s part-time playing status in Brooklyn and a January knee injury to Kevin Durant left him shouldering the Nets’ offensive burden, sources said Harden also longed for the familiarity of Houston, where he rose into a central magnate of the area’s popular culture and entertainment industry. If you knew Harden, you were someone in Houston. And after one road visit to San Antonio last season, sources said, Harden took a detour amid the Nets’ road trip to have another evening as a Houston kingmaker.
A move to Philadelphia has partnered Harden with one of the game’s greatest centers in Joel Embiid, and reunited Harden with his former Rockets lead executive in Daryl Morey. Yet Philadelphia is also not Harden’s city. Despite being a Sixers player, Harden still finds ways to explore Houston and spend extra time there. In December, Harden went out with Lil Baby for the rapper’s birthday
Harden’s apparent interest in rejoining the Rockets resurfaced among league personnel during his contract negotiations with Philadelphia this offseason. Some league executives wondered if that outcome was a real bogeyman for Harden’s services while he weighed opting into his preexisting 2022-23 contract term with the Sixers. Although team officials consistently categorized their discussions with Harden’s representatives as productive, the league office went so far as docking Philadelphia two second-round picks for just how collaborative their dealings were in allowing the 76ers ample cap space to sign PJ Tucker and Danuel House. Harden accepted a $15 million pay cut from his original $47 million player option to help juice the Sixers’ roster with enough talent to compete for a championship. It would be an error to say that he is not invested in the current situation in Philadelphia.
This current Sixers team has reached the finals by winning. “There’s nothing to be happy about, about just getting to the conference finals or the Finals. You gotta win the whole thing,” .
A championship is the one thing Harden’s resume lacks as well. People familiar with Harden’s thinking have long listed Dwyane Wade’s three titles as something Harden sees ahead of his standing on the great guard rankings in NBA history. The rebuilding Rockets aren’t exactly a more established situation for Harden to earn a trophy.
Harden’s agreement to remain in Philadelphia is a one-year deal plus another option for the 2023-24 season. His partnership with Embiid might not last beyond that, it is obvious. This season, however, is still rooted in the common goal of a championship. It would be a great ending to a remarkable career if Harden really wants to move back to Houston. But if there’s an impression Harden is looking at Houston now like he was looking at Philadelphia this time last season, and fans are bracing for another midseason trade, that prospect seems out of the question until this season has come to a definitive close.