Philadelphia 76ers All-Star James Harden was ‘seriously considering a return to the Houston Rockets’ when he hit free agency in July… despite requesting a trade OUT less than two years ago!
- James Harden left Houston last year and has since played for the Nets and 76ers
- He is reportedly considering returning to the Rockets next summer
- Harden was voted to nine All-Star teams during his nine-year stay in Houston
- Reports say he is attracted to the community, lifestyle and family element of the city
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76ers superstar James Harden is ‘seriously considering’ a return to the Houston Rockets if he doesn’t agree to a new contract in Philadelphia, according to reports.
Harden is a 10-time NBA All-Star, nine of which were in Houston, but his time with the franchise came to an abrupt end, with the 33-year-old requesting a trade in November 2020.
Despite that, ESPN Insider Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Harden is now openly weighing the possibility of returning to Texas if he doesn’t agree to a new contract in Philadelphia and heads into free agency in July.
James Harden is said to be considering a return to the Houston Rockets next summer
The 10-time All Star arrived in a very unusual outfit for the 76ers Christmas Day game at MSG
The report says staying with the 76ers is a possibility, especially given the team’s seven-game winning streak, but his two-year, $68.6 million contract with the team includes a player option that would allow him to re-enter free agency. .
It was reported that Harden, despite being forced out of Houston at the beginning of 2021, ‘maintained a magnetic pull, drawn to the community, lifestyle and family there,’ according to sources.
The guard arrived there in 2012 when his career began in Oklahoma City, and in nine years earned a series of awards, including the league’s Most Valuable Player in 2018.
After his departure at the start of 2021, his time with the Brooklyn Nets lasted just one year, and it appears that his career in Philadelphia may be headed the same way.
Harden was a nine-time All Star while playing for the Rockets, from 2012 through early 2021
Harden’s future likely depends on how the Sixers perform in the postseason
He only came to the Sixers in February, where he and Paul Millsap were traded to Philly for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two first-round picks.
This season, Philly is 19-12 heading into a Christmas Day showdown with the New York Knicks and looks primed for a postseason run.
In fact, how well the Sixers do this season could contribute a lot to Harden’s decision on whether he stays or returns to more familiar territory in Houston.
The Rockets are 9-23 for the season, meanwhile, and sit at the bottom of the Western Conference, thanks to their current five-game losing streak.
