James Harden’s exit from Houston in 2021 couldn’t have been much uglier, tarnishing his Rockets legacy by partying to all hours of the night, barely lifting a finger in the gym, taking a hatchet to locker-room morale and routinely mouthing off to coaches, all in hopes of facilitating a trade elsewhere. It was a bitter end to an almost nine-year partnership, but even as their relationship unraveled on decidedly hostile terms, both sides remained hopeful of a reconciliation. As detailed in a lengthy profile for The Athletic, a return to Houston may already be in the works with the Rockets expected to aggressively pursue Harden this summer, assuming he declines his player option and becomes a free agent.
“The sense was, in the closing moments of Harden’s time in Houston, that the door for a potential return was still open,” write Sam Amick and Kelly Iko, characterizing Harden’s split from Houston as amicable and more of an “annulment” than a full-fledged breakup. “Harden had to leave to try and achieve his dream of winning a championship but this was by no means a goodbye. It was more of a ‘see you later.’”
While Harden has embraced his role as the Robin to Joel Embiid’s Batman and acknowledges the Sixers as legitimate title contenders, staying another year in Philadelphia at a reduced salary (he had previously expressed mild resentment over his, suggesting the team didn’t give him enough credit for taking a pay cut last offseason) would require a financial sacrifice the 33-year-old might not be willing to make. Harden’s future in Philadelphia beyond this season may also be affected by the departure of close friend Michael Rubin, who recently left the organization to pursue a new betting venture at Fanatics.
Amick and Iko both note that Harden still maintains a significant footprint in Houston, owning a restaurant (Thirteen), a nonprofit (Impact 13) and a minority stake in MLS’ Houston Dynamo, among other business interests. “My family is here—my mom, my sister, my brother—so this is the place I would call home,” Harden told Haute Magazine when interviewed last year. “I feel like this city deserves for me to still put my stamp on it even though I’m no longer playing here. I’ve got to find ways to continue to do that, and I will.”
Though the Rockets haven’t been competitive since he left, Harden is reportedly bullish on their young roster, particularly second-year guard Jalen Green. Depending on how the lottery shakes out, Houston could add to that haul by adding one of Victor Wembanyama or Scoot Henderson in the upcoming NBA Draft. But above all, Harden most craves the freedom he was granted in Houston, enjoying his best life both on and off the court. “It was the place that allowed him to truly be him,” said an anonymous source close to Harden. “They embrace the clubs, the private jets to Vegas, the lack of conditioning. They were like, ‘No, you go.’ As long as you put up 30, we’re good.”
The NBA’s current assist leader at 10.7 per game, Harden likely sees this as his last chance to earn a max contract and the Rockets, armed with a league-high $61.75 million in cap space this offseason, are one of the few teams that could actually afford him. As improbable as his return would seem given how he left things, the Harden to Houston chatter is only growing louder, an unlikely reunion that has suddenly become a distinct possibility.
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