Star guard James Harden is considering a return to the Houston Rockets if he can’t reach a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, according to ESPN.
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The star player could become a free agent this summer.
He would evaluate the possibility of joining his old formation, for a few months, according to the American network. Harden had left the Texas team at odds with the executives. He had taken the road to New York to play with the Nets, before being traded to the 76ers.
The Sixers traded Ben Simmons, Seth Curry and two first-round picks to acquire him.
Harden spent more than eight seasons with the Rockets. During his journey, he won the 2018 NBA Most Valuable Player award in addition to reaching the Western Conference Finals. The main interested party is second in points in franchise history, behind Hakeem Olajuwon, and he is first in assists.
Sources say the community and city of Houston is particularly attractive to the 33-year-old.
Harden is currently making it rain or shine with teammate Joel Embiid. He’s averaging 21.9 points, 2.6 three-pointers and 10.9 assists per game since the start of the season. His team is fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 19-12 record. For their part, the Rockets are last in the Western Conference with a record of only nine wins and 23 losses.
Harden signed a two-year contract worth $68.6 million with the Sixers. The deal includes “a player option” for the 2023 season that Harden could use. The latter will therefore have the opportunity to decide if he continues the adventure with his current team or if he will test the market of independent players.
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