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Amid rumors that James Harden is seriously considering returning to the Houston Rockets should he decide against a new deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, it is worth noting that Houston itself hasn't really shut down the reports or rule out the possibility.
Apparently, the Rockets have a reason for doing so. While getting back an aging Harden who has shown signs of slowing down isn't really entirely enticing for a rebuilding franchise–not to mention the nature of his exit from the team–that's not necessarily the case for Houston, per NBA insider Marc Stein on his Substack. Team owner Tilman Fertitta is believed to be ready to do anything to help the team quickly return to relevance.
“The idea would seemingly hold little appeal to Houston given the unseemly manner in which Harden forced his exit via trade to Brooklyn in January 2021, his advancing age (33) and the presence of Jalen Green as the Rockets' standout young building block. Houston's rebuild, however, is taking shape s-l-o-w-l-y and Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta is widely presumed to be antsy to see his team reclaim a measure of relevance,” Stein wrote.
“You’ll note that no one from Clutch City has exactly rushed to rule it out.”
James Harden has a player option for 2023-24, which has only fueled the talks about his potential reunion with the Rockets. However, the veteran guard and former MVP refused to talk about the rumor, adding that he's happy with the Sixers and how they are currently performing.
For now, fans will have to wait and see what will happen in the offseason with regards to Harden's contract situation. With that said, expect the Rockets reunion rumors to only intensify by that time.
