The Houston Rockets have been mentioned in a ton of rumors so far this offseason. Whether those rumors have been regarding Russell Westbrook or James Harden, it appears the franchise could be trading both of their superstars at some point in the fairly near future.
Some fans have been hoping that the Rockets would be able to figure things out with Harden at least. Unfortunately, that does not appear likely to happen.
According to a report from RealGM, the Rockets have given up on mending their relationship with Harden and will focus on being patient with a trade.
Quite a few reasons have been given for Harden’s displeasure with the Rockets and his subsequent trade request. One of the main theories tossed around is the team owner’s open support for Donald Trump.
Whether or not that is the reason for Harden wanting to leave the Rockets, it’s still tough news for the franchise. Harden is arguably the best all-around player in the game right now. Being forced to trade him will set them back.
Last season with the Rockets, Harden ended up averaging 34.3 points per game to go along with 7.5 assists and 6.6 rebounds. He shot 44.4 percent from the floor overall and knocked down 35.5 percent of his three-point attempts. Even though he didn’t win the MVP, those are MVP numbers.
At this point in time, Harden has requested to be traded to the Brooklyn Nets. He would like to team up with his former teammate, Kevin Durant, as well as superstar point guard Kyrie Irving.
No matter what the future holds, it appears that the Rockets will focus on how to move on from James Harden. Seeing him with a different team will be strange, but fans should start preparing for that to happen.
Expect to hear more rumors in the coming days and weeks surrounding Harden and the Rockets. Nothing will happen quickly, but it does appear that Houston will begin exploring how they should move past their franchise superstar.
