NBA Rumors: James Harden Wanting Out of Houston Rockets Because of Stephen Silas

James Harden is everywhere these days. At one moment, it seems like he is on the verge of leaving Houston. In other moments, there will be a Rockets’ insider claiming he is staying put. 

But one important question still hangs around unanswered to haunt the Rockets fans. Why did Harden actually want to opt-out in the first place? It can’t be that Russell Westbrook’s leaving influenced his decision because the Rockets filled that void with John Wall. It also does not solely appear to be influenced by the better chances of winning an NBA ring elsewhere. 

What possibly forced James Harden to want to opt-out of the Rockets?

Every logical guess hints toward something wrong between him and the front office. The Rockets, right after their poor loss against the Lakers, started to fall apart. With many players openly raising doubts over the environment, their front office saw a jumbled movement. General Manager Daryl Morey took his services to the Philadelphia 76ers and head coach Mike D’Antoni went to join Steve Nash’s Brooklyn Nets. 

A source recently told USA Today that James Harden wanted out of Houston as soon as the Rockets hired Stephen Silas as the head coach. While still a rumor, this might have some credibility, given that Harden was keen on joining the Nets, perhaps because of Mike’s presence and a better shot at winning there. 

Moreover, it was rumored that Russell Westbrook wanted Silas as a head coach. There was no mention of Harden’s willingness on that hiring.

What was the preference for The Beard?

According to a fresh report, the 8-time NBA All-star wanted Tyronn Lue as the head coach. The franchise owner, Tilman Fertitta, on the other hand, wanted to hire Jeff Van Gundy and finally settled for Silas. The fact that Harden’s name is connected to every team the former office-bearers went to, speaks volumes on his inclination towards joining the team with the executives of his preference.

Teams like the LA Clippers and 76ers are also probable for acquiring the multiple-times NBA top-scorer. 

Coming back to Stephen Silas and his relationship with The Beard. The new coach has always spoken positively about Harden’s return to the Rockets. So it is a complete mockery of a rather futile case, unless, of course, Harden speaks up.

Read also – REPORTS: Houston Rockets’ Owner Stubborn Over Not Trading James Harden