Just before it opens the new NBA season, tensions are mounting in the Houston Rockets as the franchise is under a cloud of uncertainty. Houston does not plan to give up star James Harden so quickly, who for his part would rather move to another team that will compete for the championship.
According to ‘The Athletic’, Harden arrived at the training camp a week late with the aim of “keeping things professional” despite his preference to leave, but around the team things have started to bubble in recent days. As long as Harden stays on the roster, the club will be under a magnifying glass and every move will be examined more than before.
According to the article, Harden confronted his teammates several times during team training on Sunday and Monday, one of the confrontations involved throwing a ball at another player. Reports say Harden and rookie Jason Tate were arguing in training Monday when the All-Star threw a ball in Tate’s direction. Harden is known to have a calm personality, and the franchise environment points out that this type of confrontation is not a routine thing for him – something that indicates his growing frustration with the situation.
Rockets players’ early signs of tension in recent days included James Harden throwing a basketball at a rookie, setting the stage for Houston to tip off the season on Wednesday.
Story from @ShamsCharania for @TheAthleticNBA ⤵️
– The Athletic (@TheAthletic) December 22, 2020
Harden, 31, has made it clear he wants to trade for the opponent, with Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Miami and Milwaukee being his favorite teams. Despite this, Houston rebuilt the roster and provided beautiful pre-season moments under new coach Stephen Silas, along with John Wall and Demarcus Cousins, and the young talent.
Houston hopes to avoid making this case grow, and the fact that Harden have remained on the contract for many more years gives the franchise leverage, compared to similar cases in the past (Jimmy Balter in Minnesota). Harden has three seasons left on the contract, and while the Rockets have talked to several teams about a possible trade, the franchise is operating without a sense of pressure and has informed rivals that the price for the former MVP is significant.
Houston will open the season Wednesday through Thursday, and Arden is committed to playing during this troubled situation. One thing is clear: Harden loves this sport more than anything else, so Houston will continue to lean on it as long as it continues to suit both sides. All this will simply be examined under a microscope.