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With the draft looming, teams and players are starting to make their wishes known, and the Houston Rockets’ James Harden is among them. According to Adrian Wojnarowski and other ESPN sources, the Beard is looking to move to Brooklyn to join the Nets.
ESPN Sources with @RamonaShelburne and @ZachLowe_NBA: As Houston’s James Harden considers his future with franchise, one possible trade destination is rising to top of his list: Brooklyn. The idea of reuniting with Kevin Durant and joining Kyrie Irving is resonating with Harden.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 15, 2020
Harden played with Kevin Durant on the Oklahoma City Thunder from 2009-2012 after he was selected with the third pick in the 2009 draft. The Thunder then traded Harden to the Rockets after the two sides failed to agree on a contract extension.
The Rockets have been going through a shake-up recently after the departure of head coach Mike D’Antoni and general manager Daryl Morey. D’Antoni joined the Brooklyn Nets as an assistant to head coach Steve Nash, while Morey landed in Philadelphia with the 76ers. Perhaps the addition of D’Antoni to Nash’s staff is tempting to Harden, who has worked with the coach since his hiring in 2016.
Update: The Brooklyn Nets are apparently “considering” it, per Adrian Wojnarowski, Ramona Shelburne, and Zach Lowe of ESPN.
The Nets are believed to be considering the viability of the idea, but it is unclear how far the franchise would go in delivering Houston the assets it might require to trade for Harden.
Houston Rockets GM Rafael Stone has consistently been telling teams that the Rockets plan to “run it back” with Harden this season, sources said. The Rockets have seemed inclined to listen to offers on Harden, sources said, although that’s customary for most teams about most players in the league.