The Houston Rockets are taking a different stance on James Harden reportedly throwing a ball at rookie Jae'Sean Tate.

While Shams Charania of The Athletic reported some Rockets personnel viewed the incident as a sign of Harden's growing frustrations amid trade demands, head coach Stephen Silas emphasized the need for some feistiness and energy:

“When you have competitive guys, you hope to have competitive practices,” Silas said, via Ben DuBose of USA TODAY. “That's what we have. That's what I want. I want competitors on this team.”

Rockets point guard John Wall also suggested the noise off the court has not impacted Harden's status as a leader:

“At the end of the day, we can’t focus on what James does off the court,” Wall said, via DuBose. “All we know is he comes in every day. He works hard. He’s been one of the leaders of our team in this locker room. That’s all we can ask for.”

The 2020-21 season tips off on Tuesday night, and there is still a tremendous amount of uncertainty regarding Harden's future with the organization.

Houston has, thus far, shown no real urgency in trying to trade Harden. “The Beard” previously praised Silas for the work he had done in preparing the team in camp, with Silas claiming Harden was raring to go for the start of the season.

Yet, Harden has also been mum about his feelings regarding possibly remaining with the Rockets, and there is no telling whether this was just an incident fueled by competition or a blowup stemming from frustration.

In any case, fans and league personnel alike will be closely monitoring Harden's status in Houston over the course of the year.