It was in October 2012 when the Houston Rockets, a franchise that's always on the lookout for stars available on the trade market, swung a deal for James Harden that changed the course of the franchise. With Harden leading the way, the Rockets made the playoffs in every season from 2013 to 2020. In fact, in 2018, the Rockets posted the best record in the NBA, almost winning a championship with the Beard as the team's best player.

However, not even midway through the 2020-21 season, Harden decided that he wanted to team up with other stars, as it was clear that the Rockets were in decline by then. As a result, the Rockets traded him away, kickstarting their rebuild that hasn't quite found the light at the end of the tunnel just yet. But that could change soon enough.

More than two years after trading away James Harden, the Rockets have an opportunity to bring him back in free agency. The Rockets are flush with cap space, and there's been plenty of smoke regarding a potential reunion, with ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski calling it a “very real possibility” for the two parties to reunite.

Given the current state of the Rockets' rebuild, however, one would question whether it's the best use of cap space to add a 33-year old veteran who would demand maximum money. Harden is no longer the singular dominant force he was during the 2018-19 season, as evidenced by his inconsistencies for the Philadelphia 76ers, so adding him isn't a surefire way to elevate the Rockets to playoff contention.

Nevertheless, here are three reasons why the Rockets must remain all-in on adding James Harden despite The Beard's less-than-stellar finish to the 2023 NBA playoffs for the Sixers.

The Rockets need a floor general

The Rockets made a shrewd move when they bought low on Kevin Porter Jr. after his falling out with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Porter looks the part of a dynamic shot creator who can heat up in a hurry, as evidenced by his 50-point outburst against the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021.

But Porter is not a point guard. That much is clear. He can certainly make plays for others, but his first instinct is to score the basketball. The Rockets offense oftentimes looks disjointed, with their young guards falling in love with their ability to pound the rock against the hardwood and settling for difficult perimeter shots. Their offense looks much improved whenever they play through Alperen Sengun, a high-post offensive hub who's shown shades of becoming a Domantas Sabonis-like presence on that end of the court.

Bringing in James Harden will help the Rockets solve a lot of their offensive disjointedness. It will also allow Jalen Green to play more of an off-ball role, as his assist to turnover ratio and shot selection through the first two years of his career have been uninspiring to say the least. Harden, as a player who draws so much defensive attention, could help unlock Green's athleticism and help mold it into a more cohesive, efficient package.

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The Houston Rockets invested heavily into Fred VanVleet during the 2023 offseason. Houston gave the point guard a three-year, $128 million deal in a move that was meant to turn the Rockets from a rebuilding team into a championship contending one. The signing did just that, as the Rockets finished the 2024-25 regular season as the two-seed in a stacked Western Conference. VanVleet was the veteran presence and 3-point shooter that the team desperately needed, and he still might have a role with the Rockets going forward. Houston has a team option on his contract for next year, and they very well may pick it up. The Wichita State product reportedly wants to stay in Houston, but the point guard would be set to make over $44 million next season under his current contract. The Rockets and their guard recently pushed back the deadline on Houston's decision with VanVleet, and although reports suggest that they are interested in writing up a new, long-term deal, it isn't necessarily a guarantee that VanVleet will be playing for Houston next year. The Rockets blew him away with an offer he couldn't refuse back in 2023, and another team could so the same when/if he hits the open market this offseason. If VanVleet does become an unrestricted free agent, which teams outside of Houston would make the most sense for him to sign with? 1. Orlando Magic Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner recently signed big deals with the Orlando Magic, and Paolo Banchero will be getting a mega contract extension here soon. Because of that, the Magic no longer have money to blow like they have had in recent years. That will make a deal for another big ticket free agent hard to pull off, especially considering the team signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope last year. If Orlando can make the money work, though, then Fred VanVleet would be a great fit with the Magic. The Magic finished dead last in 3-point shooting this season, and VanVleet has made at least 2.5 deep balls per game in every season since 2018-19. VanVleet can hit shots form behind the arc off of the bounce or in catch-and-shoot situations. The Rockets were heavily reliant on his shooting expertise, so the guard would have plenty of familiarity getting up deep shots with high volume if he signed with the Magic. While undersized, VanVleet is a pesky defender, so he'd fit right in with a Magic team that has one of the best defensive units in the league. VanVleet could play alongside Suggs and give opposing teams fits. Ultimately, though, the Magic just need more shooting to get to the next level, and VanVleet is arguably the best shooter who could be available on the open market this offseason. 2. Brooklyn Nets A more realistic option for a VanVleet destination would be the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets are set up to have the most cap space this offseason, and they have a major need at point guard. With D'Angelo Russell and De'Anthony Melton hitting free agency this offseason, the Nets don't have a true point guard under contract for next season. Brooklyn needs to spend big this offseason, and they'd be smart to offer VanVleet a contract big enough that he'd have no choice but to leave Houston. VanVleet averaged 14.1 points per game last season, which was his lowest mark since 2018-19. He is trending the wrong way, but he still has enough left in the tank to give the Nets a few good seasons. 3. Portland Trail Blazers In the same way that the Rockets were looking to take the next step in 2023, the Portland Trail Blazers could use VanVleet's presence to get over the hump. The Trail Blazers have plenty of big man depth, as centers Deandre Ayton, Donovan Clingan, Robert Williams, and Duop Death are all under contract next season. Portland also has a lot of wing depth. Deni Advija started to look like a star late this past season, Toumani Camara is an elite defender, Shaedon Sharpe is a freakish athlete, and Jerami Grant is a proven scorer. The team is thinner in the backcourt, though. Anfernee Simons is a solid scorer, but Scoot Henderson has looked like a fringe draft bust since being drafted third overall. Portland shouldn't give up on Henderson completely, but there wouldn't be any harm in signing another guard. Like the Magic, the Blazers were one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the NBA. VanVleet would improve that weakness, and in a stacked Western Conference, Portland needs all of the help they can get if they are to compete for a playoff spot.
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The structure new head coach Ime Udoka would bring should also help fill in the gaps for a young Rockets team that has struggled over the past three seasons.

They need more quality veterans on the team

James Harden being a veteran the Rockets team can look up to certainly means that we're growing old and that we're helpless against the incessant march of time. But Harden is now 33 years old, he knows what it takes to win even though he has fallen short on multiple occasions, and he will help the young core set their priorities straight.

One common criticism the Rockets have received this past season was that they lack veteran leadership. That's technically not the truth as the Rockets had Boban Marjanovic and DJ Augustin on the roster. But what they lack is veteran leadership on the court. And Harden, in his declined state, will be a steadying presence on the hardwood, especially for a team with as much inexperience as the Rockets.

Time is on their side

Adding James Harden will definitely clog the Rockets' cap sheet. There's no question about that. But it's not like addressing their cap situation in a meaningful manner is of urgent business for a team that's a ways away from contention.

It won't be until 2025 when Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun will be up for their rookie contract extensions. Jabari Smith Jr. has three years left on his rookie deal. Simply put, adding Harden doesn't necessarily have to boost the Rockets to contention, but rather, adding the franchise legend would allow the Rockets to build winning habits and address a roster need without having to hamstring the team's future.