James Harden is “seriously considering a return” to the Houston Rockets this summer when he becomes a free agent, nearly two years after the Rockets dealt him to the Brooklyn Nets.
On Sunday, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN used Twitter to break the news.
“Harden and his inner circle have been openly weighing Houston in recent months, sources said, a remarkable possibility given that he requested and received a trade out of the franchise less than two years ago,” Wojnarowski reports.
Of course, Harden’s hypothetical return to Houston would only occur if he chose not to exercise the $35.6 million player option he has for the 2023–24 season and did not re-sign with the Philadelphia Sixers, to whom he was traded in February. Harden agreed to a two-year, $68.6 million contract with the Sixers back in June, but he could leave the team in July if he declines that option.
Harden played with the Rockets for nine seasons (2012-21). In 621 games with Houston, he averaged 29.6 points, 7.7 assists, and 6.0 rebounds. He won NBA MVP in 2018 after helping the Rockets to a 65-17 record.
Harden already holds the franchise record for most assists while ranking second behind Hakeem Olajuwon for the most points in franchise history (18,365). (4,796).