Rockets reunion ‘very much in play’ for 76ers’ James Harden

As James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers do battle with the Brooklyn Nets in Round 1 of the Eastern Conference playoffs, the uncertain future of the 33-year-old star continues to be front and center.

On the latest edition of ESPN’s “The Woj Pod,” Adrian Wojnarowski said that Harden — who has a player option in his contract for the 2023-24 NBA season — reuniting with the Houston Rockets this offseason is on the table.

“James Harden’s future is very unclear in Philadelphia,” Wojnarowski said. “Houston is very much in play for him. And I think a lot may depend on [whether] they make a run and win and it’s easy to pay him long-term big money, or he just wants to be in Houston. Win or lose he goes, or it’s dependent on the team’s success.”

ESPN reported in December that Harden was “seriously considering” a move back to Houston.

Harden spent the first three seasons of his NBA career with the Oklahoma City Thunder before being traded to the Rockets in 2012. He went on to play eight-plus seasons in Houston, where he won a league MVP and three scoring titles.

Harden requested a trade from the Rockets in January 2021 and landed with the Nets. The deal teamed Harden up with the star duo of Kevin Durant — who was a teammate of Harden’s with the Thunder — and Kyrie Irving.

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One year later, Harden and the Nets couldn’t agree to a long-term extension, with Harden wanting to play for the 76ers and free agency looming. Within one hour of the trade deadline, Brooklyn shipped Harden and Paul Millsap to Philadelphia for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two first-round picks (one unprotected and one protected). Harden re-signed with the 76ers on a two-year deal the ensuing offseason.

If Harden returns to the Rockets, he’ll join a young roster headlined by Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr., Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun. Houston selected Green and Smith with top-three draft selections in the 2021 and 2022 drafts, respectively, and are second in NBA lottery seeding this year. On the other hand, the Rockets are 59-177 over the last three seasons and without a head coach, as they fired Stephen Silas earlier this month.

Harden finished the 2022-23 regular season averaging 21.0 points, a league-best 10.7 assists, 6.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 44.1/38.5/86.7.

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