There have been reports about Philadelphia 76ers’ All-Star guard James Harden wanting to return to the Houston Rockets, but a new report indicates that his old club will not explore that option.
Last week, Harden opted into his $35.6 million player option for the 2023-24 season as a way to help the 76ers orchestrate a trade. Harden was acquired by the 76ers in a 2022 blockbuster trade that sent Ben Simmons to the Brooklyn Nets.
A league source told Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com that new Rockets head coach Ime Udoka isn’t keen on working with Harden. The source stated that the Rockets thought about bringing back the future Hall of Famer, but Udoka reportedly made it clear that this wasn’t going to happen:
“From everything we’ve gotten out of there, it was a matter that Ime didn’t want him. At the beginning, were they thinking about Harden? Yeah. But then they hired Ime, and Ime said, ‘It’s not going to work here.'”
The Rockets already made a big splash in free agency by signing ex-Toronto Raptors’ guard Fred VanVleet to a three-year deal worth $130 million. The arrival of the 29-year-old VanVleet, who’s five years younger than Harden, was a firmly strong indicator that Houston will not pursue a reunion with Harden.
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Harden averaged 21 points, 6.1 rebounds and 10.7 assists per game in 58 contests for the 76ers last year. They advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals but were ousted by the rival Boston Celtics in seven games.
The latest playoff collapse in Philly led to the firing of head coach Doc Rivers, and he was replaced by ex-Raptors’ HC Nick Nurse.
