James Harden Returning To Rockets 'A Very Real Possibility'

[RealGM Wiretap]

James Harden can become a free agent again this offseason and his market is expected to extend beyond the Philadelphia 76ers to the Houston Rockets. While the Rockets have been a rebuild mode since trading Harden to the Brooklyn Nets in 2021, there appears to be serious mutual interest between the parties dating back to a report on Christmas Day from Adrian Wojnarowski.  

"I also believe the Harden situation is one of the more under talked about things with what's going on in the season here," said Brian Windhorst on his podcast. "We are always guilty of looking ahead. And there has been very little discussion about Harden. Probably because Philly has played generally really well for the last two months.

"Christmas Day, Woj comes out with that story that Houston wants to go over Harden and it was like 'Whoa.'

"Not just that Houston wants to, but Houston believes it is a legitimate possibility and that's not coming out of thin air," said Tim MacMahon. "James Harden still spends a lot of time in Houston. Spends his summers in Houston. Works out at the Rockets' facility on a regular basis. It's a very real possibility. And Harden, by the way, never shot it down. He just said 'I don't know where that came from.'"

"It was kind of a non-denial," added Windhorst. "And that [storyline has] just gone way."

Harden took a one-plus-one deal with the Sixers as a free agent last offseason worth $68.6 million. Harden took a $15 million discount in order to help the Sixers add P.J. Tucker and Danuel House. 

While Harden and the Rockets may have serious interest in reuniting, it could also be Harden attempting to increase his chances of signing a lucrative contract with the Sixers. Harden recently hired Troy Payne as his agent.

"It's also a leverage point," said Windhorst.

Via Brian Windhorst, Tim MacMahon/ESPN

[alphatron10]

Why would he want to lmao? Seems like a waste of his career if he went back to that dumpster fire

[lonea]

Why would he want to lmao? Seems like a waste of his career if he went back to that dumpster fire

$$$ ?

pretty sure houston would offer him max and quite possibly will be the only team that does

then he'll force a trade out to brooklyn

[Crunch 99]

Works out at the Rockets' facility on a regular basis.

I didn't realize NBA rules allowed a player under contract to work out at a different team's facilities, but I guess it is allowed.

[RKN]

Lol

BS

[Hold That]

Houston has some of the most beautiful women in North America. He will be back.

[tigerae]

Only way I see this happening is if the Rockets gets Wembanyama. Otherwise, I'm not really sure how it makes sense from either sides.

[dubbmotta]

Why would he want to lmao? Seems like a waste of his career if he went back to that dumpster fire

They treated him well and didn't hold him accountable. Better stip clubs and lower taxes...You can tell he doesn't like Philly night life.

[FeatheryTouch]

Houston has some of the most beautiful women in North America. He will be back.

Yes, the women and strip clubs are awesome but the basketball team is terrible and he's on a much different timeline than the rest of the Rockets.

Houston could actually use a veteran PG to settle down the young pups, but is Harden the right guy for the job especially with a huge new contract?

It's most likely a leverage play to get $$ out of the Sixers...unless Harden is prioritizing p***y over a chance to win before retiring.

[slay25]

pretty sure the last line says it all

[IWishIWasHarden]

He said the other week that now is his best chance to win a title. There's no reason he would want to leave that situation for a gamble. I would. I think the Rockets are about to be awesome. But the vast majority wouldn't.

[LakersLegacy]

Use Houston for leverage to make sure Philly pays the max or near it

[OdomFan]

If only prime Hakeem could return to the Rockets instead.

[the_process]

Dup post.

[the_process]

I'm glad this story is back.

That way when Morey maxes out Harden this summer, and other teams start bitching about salary cap circumvention and luxury tax avoidance... Houston is the excuse.

Also Silver still owes Philly for forcing the Colangelos on them. So no more draft pick penalties, thank you.

[Axl Rose]

He can't leave Houston strip clubs alone.

[Exp0sed]

Houston has some of the most beautiful women in North America. He will be back.

Yes, the women and strip clubs are awesome but the basketball team is terrible and he's on a much different timeline than the rest of the Rockets.

Houston could actually use a veteran PG to settle down the young pups, but is Harden the right guy for the job especially with a huge new contract?

It's most likely a leverage play to get $$ out of the Sixers...unless Harden is prioritizing p***y over a chance to win before retiring.

Harden is def the right guy
they have some interesting talent but no direction on the floor, Harden is actually an elite floor general (still) and one the the young pups will respect

further more, paying him alot of money (especially front loaded), would mean very little to the Rockets as John Wall + Favors + Danny green's salaries will come off the books this summer

that means Houston would have only about 60M committed in salaries and some of their younger guys are still far from their pay day

so the Rockets would have no issue there

i have no idea if the report is true or not but if it is, then obviously it has nothing to do with basketball reasons
that's fine btw..he's free to base his decision on whatever he wants

Maybe he knows there's a good chance they'll give him the CP3 contract, meaning max him for like 4 years until he's 37
and he can just chill in the club, in Houston where he's at home

stranger things have happened
Harden will make these guys a playoff team as early as next season assuming some of the younger players take a leap as well. doesn't have to be all of them.just 1-2 taking a leap and Harden calling the shots might be enough

they won't be a disgrace on the court, that's for sure

[FeatheryTouch]

Houston has some of the most beautiful women in North America. He will be back.

Yes, the women and strip clubs are awesome but the basketball team is terrible and he's on a much different timeline than the rest of the Rockets.

Houston could actually use a veteran PG to settle down the young pups, but is Harden the right guy for the job especially with a huge new contract?

It's most likely a leverage play to get $$ out of the Sixers...unless Harden is prioritizing p***y over a chance to win before retiring.

Harden is def the right guy
they have some interesting talent but no direction on the floor, Harden is actually an elite floor general (still) and one the the young pups will respect

further more, paying him alot of money (especially front loaded), would mean very little to the Rockets as John Wall + Favors + Danny green's salaries will come off the books this summer

that means Houston would have only about 60M committed in salaries and some of their younger guys are still far from their pay day

so the Rockets would have no issue there

i have no idea if the report is true or not but if it is, then obviously it has nothing to do with basketball reasons
that's fine btw..he's free to base his decision on whatever he wants

Maybe he knows there's a good chance they'll give him the CP3 contract, meaning max him for like 4 years until he's 37
and he can just chill in the club, in Houston where he's at home

stranger things have happened
Harden will make these guys a playoff team as early as next season assuming some of the younger players take a leap as well. doesn't have to be all of them.just 1-2 taking a leap and Harden calling the shots might be enough

they won't be a disgrace on the court, that's for sure

The Rockets are rebuilding though, are a long way from winning anything, and Harden is getting old. Is that the best use of their cap space and resources? If you were Houston's GM, is an older Harden on a huge contract really the best fit and the guy you want to push all your chips in for? You really want Harden to be the mentor for a lost young team?

And from Harden's point of view, why are you going to leave a title contender in Philly to play with a bunch of young dudes that are one of the worst teams in the league and have zero playoff experience on the entire roster? Because the strip clubs are better?

It's the wrong move for everyone involved.

[Exp0sed]

The Rockets are rebuilding though, are a long way from winning anything, and Harden is getting old. Is that the best use of their cap space and resources? If you were Houston's GM, is an older Harden on a huge contract really the best fit and the guy you want to push all your chips in for? You really want Harden to be the mentor for a lost young team?

And from Harden's point of view, why are you going to leave a title contender in Philly to play with a bunch of young dudes that are one of the worst teams in the league and have zero playoff experience on the entire roster? Because the strip clubs are better?

It's the wrong move for everyone involved.

ur obviously right about the timeline issue, but from Houston's perspective this signing wouldn't be aimed at a championship (they are not there yet, with or without Harden), it would be aimed at putting a respectable team on the floor and having a vet, an ATG, a leader and a facilitator, to help the younger guys learn the ropes win some games and get everyone involved

it's just a salary, they wouldn't be trading any assets so this is nothing that can be called "pushing their chips"
pushing the chips all-in is when u trade the #1 pick Wiggins for K-love

the Rockets will have only 60M commited after this season, that's way below even the salary floor
if anything, by the time it takes the Rockets youngsters to develop - he might become a juicy expiring contract that can be flipped with picks for a disgruntled star etc

as for Harden, it certainly will be the wrong move for himn basketball wise but who knows what his priorities are?
if home and strip clubs, friends, connections or other personal reasons are atop his priorities then that's fine

most players don't go that route but he certainly won't be the first one
moreover, I doubt any other team (including philly) would offer him a 3-4 year max, CP3 style
Rockets might just do that, precisely because they are going nowhere for next couple of years anyway