Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden is the name doing the rounds in NBA circles right now. Despite playing well during the playoffs initially, he failed to perform when the Sixers took on the Boston Celtics. His dismal performances in the crucial Western Conference Semifinals games, along with that of 2023 MVP Joel Embiid, eventually led to the 76ers crashing out. With a number of issues troubling the team internally, it seems Harden’s future with the franchise is already sealed.

A few days ago, following Doc Rivers’ sacking, it was revealed that Harden is serious about going back to one of his former teams. It seems all the rumors might come true in the following days.

Massive James Harden update takes the NBA world by storm

James Harden undoubtedly played his best basketball with the Houston Rockets. He won an MVP award, multiple scoring titles, and racked up some All-Time numbers during his time with Houston. It seems the city of Houston might welcome its estranged hero soon.

The 10-time NBA All-Star is a free agent this summer. While an extension with the 76er seemed likely a few months ago, everything has changed within a short span of time. 

Doc Rivers was sacked by the team after consecutive playoff heartbreaks. Interestingly, there were reports which claimed that Harden might have had a hand behind the title-winning coach’s sacking. On top of this, the franchise might also lose one of its best players.

According to the latest reports, there is a mutual interest between Harden and the Rockets. In fact, the team has around $60 million in salary-cap space during the offseason.

This works well for the 2-time Assist leader who will opt out of his $35.6 million deal for the next season with the Sixers. However, considering his age and struggles on the court, getting a max contract with any team remains a long shot for the 2018 MVP.

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As the latest update about Harden does the rounds of the internet, 2020 NBA champion Kyle Kuzma took to Twitter to react to this news. He wrote, “Damn doc out he out” while sharing a source that talked about the Rockets owner’s fascination with the 76ers guard.

Harden played 9 seasons with the Rockets where he established himself as one of the best players in the league. In fact, he won most of his accolades during that 9-year tenure. His time with the Rockets came to a messy end in 2020 after the player and the front office fell out of favor. He showed up late to training, out of shape and there were other issues that forced Harden’s exit.

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Do you think James Harden will return to the Houston Rockets? Let us know in the comments below.