James Harden is still a member of the Houston Rockets. Despite the busy NBA offseason full of rumors surrounding one of the top scorers in the game, nothing has happened. The Charlotte Hornets could enter the race late and be a surprise destination for Harden.

This season, Harden has played four games and is averaging 33 points and 10.8 assists per contest. He requested a trade and gave a list of preferred destinations, led by the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers.

Both of those teams have been quiet which could allow another surprise team to enter the race. It seems inevitable that a deal will happen and it will be interesting to see where Harden ends up.

Charlotte made some big moves this offseason. They drafted LaMelo Ball with the third-overall pick in the draft to add to a dynamic backcourt. Gordon Hayward signed a four-year, $120 million deal in free agency.

So far, the team is off to a slow start but they are getting production from their big guns. The Hornets could look to take their roster to the next level by surprising the league and landing Harden.

This would certainly be a surprise and something that is not cheap for Charlotte. Let’s take a look and see how this deal might workout for both sides.