'James Was a Great Teammate': Bruce Brown Sheds Light On Rockets Free Agent Target James Harden

With rumors swirling about his reunion with the Houston Rockets, Bruce Brown described James Harden as a "great teammate" during their time with the Nets.

HOUSTON — James Harden has not been shy about his unfortunate stint with the Brooklyn Nets. In February, Harden revealed the Nets had "a lot of dysfunction" within the franchise — which drove him to demand a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers in 2022.

Harden described his 13 months in Brooklyn as "frustrating." But the disappointment did not prevent him from being a great teammate within the Nets' locker room, according to Bruce Brown.

"James was a great teammate on and off the court and was definitely one of the best teammates I've ever had," Brown said during his guest appearance on the Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz. "He's just a different breed. When he left, the locker room was kind of quiet. Nobody really did much together."  

Harden played his entire Nets tenure with Brown following his departure from the Houston Rockets in 2021. Brown is one of a handful of players who have portrayed Harden as a prominent teammate. 

The future Hall-of-Famer became stuck with the bad teammate stigma after failed partnerships with Dwight Howard, Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook during his eight-year stint with the Rockets.

Harden is a consensus favorite to reunite with the Rockets when free agency begins in July. But a potential homecoming has raised concerns about Harden's ability to help enhance Houston's culture.

Harden may have a background of butting heads with former teammates. But perhaps Brown's recent comments has shed light on the positive influence Harden can have on Houston's culture rather than a negative impact.

Brown played two seasons with the Nets, where he averaged 8.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 137 games. He signed with the Denver Nuggets in July and has played a major role in the franchise's run to the 2023 NBA Finals.

---

You can follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24

Want the latest in news and insider information on the Houston Rockets? Click here

Follow Inside the Rockets on Facebook here

Follow Inside the Rockets on Twitter @InsideRocketsFN

Want even more Houston Rockets news? Check out the SI.com team page here