James Harden Rockets Return? Analyst Reveals Thoughts

The Houston Rockets are keeping an eye on James Harden in free agency, and a return could still be in the cards.

Jeremy Brener | Jun 20, 2023

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Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets' saga with James Harden appears to be heading for one final chapter.

Among the first dominoes to fall in this year's free agency period is Harden and whether he'll choose to re-sign with the Philadelphia 76ers, return to the Rockets, or head to a different team.

It's anyone's guess as to what will eventually happen, but The Athletic insider Kelly Iko guesses that Harden will find his way back to Houston once again.

"If you ask me personally, I think he’s coming back, but I’m not in the rooms where the teams will be putting money on the table," Iko said on the HoopsHype podcast. "At the end of the day, James will always do what he wants to do. He can’t be talked into anything. He moves to the beat of his own drum more than any player I’ve seen covering the league."

A big reason why many would be skeptical to sign Harden in Houston is his contract. If Harden is seeking a max contract, the Rockets can afford it. However, a better question is ... Should the Rockets offer a max deal? However, Iko believes there's a world where Harden could come to Houston without a max contract.

"Do I think the Rockets are willing to give him the max? No. They want to add at least three or four veterans, and you can’t do that conceivably if you’re giving Harden upwards of $45-50 million," Iko said. "If it comes to a deal in the range of $30-33 million, I can see that. Then, you still have enough to get another marquee guy or two."

In that case, Harden would be looking to come to Houston with the hopes of signing a couple more veterans to make this team competitive for 2023-24. Then, if it doesn't work, Harden has the flexibility to find greener pastures elsewhere.

However, if Harden is seeking the final rich, long-term deal of his career, then perhaps staying with the 76ers is his best path forward.

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Published Jun 20, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.