James Harden eyed Rockets return amid Clippers trade talks

James Harden and the Los Angeles Clippers were able to have a healthy split before the deadline, after both sides decided they were going in different directions. Harden was looking to compete for a championship, and there was uncertainty surrounding his contract beyond this season.

As for the Clippers, it’s obvious that they were looking to get younger, even though they had turned their season around over the past month. Harden’s representatives gauged who would have interest in the Clippers’ guard, and one of the teams was one of his former stops, according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne.

“Harden was interested in reuniting with the Houston Rockets, sources say, a natural fit because their point guard, Fred VanVleet, had torn his ACL before the season. But the Rockets showed little interest in their former MVP,” Shelburne wrote. “Cleveland did, however. The Cavaliers were intrigued to see how Harden could elevate their two standout big men, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, and take some of the load off dynamic shooting guard Donovan Mitchell.”

If Harden was traded to the Rockets, that may have been the move that helped them, as they lack real guard depth, especially with the VanVleet injury. The only problem is who the Rockets would have had to give up in that situation, and the Clippers were definitely going to ask for several of their young players.

That move would have probably gutted most of their roster, and the Rockets already didn’t want to do that when they traded for Kevin Durant in the offseason.

So far this season, the Rockets have been able to manage without much guard depth, and Amen Thompson has filled in that role. He’s not the typical traditional guard, but he’s getting help from Alperen Sengun and Durant as well. Reed Sheppard has also stepped up in his second season in the league.

It would have been an interesting reunion for Harden and the Rockets if it happened.

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