By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Depending on future evaluations and career decisions, James Harden can reunite with the Houston Rockets in a relatively quick turnaround from requesting a trade out of the franchise.
Harden, 33, is seriously considering a return to Houston, reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski ahead of the NBA Christmas Day opener pitting the Philadelphia 76ers against the New York Knicks in the Madison Square Garden Sunday.
The 2018 season MVP was eventually traded to the Brooklyn Nets midway through the 2020-21 Regular Season. Two years later, last February, he was traded to the Sixers and during the offseason inked a salary cap-friendly two-year $68.6 million contract with a player option for the 2023-24 season. That option is what can pave the way for a return to Houston.
Coming out of Arizona State, Harden was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder as the third overall pick of the 2009 NBA draft. After failing to agree on a contract extension, he was traded to the Rockets before the 2012-13 season to launch the longest spell at one team of his professional career.
The 76ers, behind his partnership with Joel Embiid, have jumped to 19-12 riding a seven-game winning streak in the ongoing Regular Season. Pushing winning ways later in the 2022-23 season and building up a successful run in the Playoffs would probably provide a boost on staying in Philadelphia, otherwise reinforce the avenue leading back to Houston, as noted in the report regarding his offseason status.
Over the 2022-23 season, Harden has recorded 21.4 points, 10.9 assists, 6.6 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 0.5 blocks per contest in 17 appearances.
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