Could James Harden be flirting with the Houston Rockets?

No, James Harden will not re-sign with the Houston Rockets.

The Los Angeles Clippers guard is a free agent this offseason, and he’ll be looking to sign one of his last big contracts in the NBA, but it won’t be the team he played for the majority of his career.

However, Bleacher Report believes he might entertain the idea of ​​playing with the Rockets this offseason, like he did a year ago.

“The outcome of his free agency isn’t that hard to predict. He’ll likely get a one-plus-one contract from the Clippers with a second-year option, perhaps up to $70 million in total value,” reports Bleacher. writing. “Anything that happens before that, which could include Harden going after the Clippers, threatening to return to the Houston Rockets or any other moves in his deep bag of disgruntled player tricks, that’s where the real excitement will be .”

The idea that Harden would opt out of his contract with the Philadelphia 76ers to return to the Houston Rockets during their big offseason last summer floated around, but there was never much traction.

If this happens again this summer, it will simply be for leverage in his negotiations with the Clippers.

The Rockets are doing just fine at guard with Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green and Amen Thompson leading the way. The Rockets could also draft a guard with the No. 3 pick in next month’s draft.

While there’s still a chance for Harden to return to the Rockets in the twilight of his career, that time hasn’t come yet, making a return for next season as slim as possible.

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