James Harden is reportedly torn between staying in the Philadelphia 76ers or igniting a reunion with the Houston Rockets, Shams Charania of The Athletic revealed on The Ryen Russillo Podcast.
“I don’t think he knows, as far as what I know about his mindset, I don’t think he totally is there,” said Charania (h/t RealGM). “We’re less than a month out from free agency starting. I really think he’s torn with the prospect of staying in Philadelphia or moving on to Houston potentially and returning back to his home. That’s where his roots are and his family there of course.”
Harden’s decision about his next stop remains one of the gigantic storylines heading into the offseason. He still has his $35.6 million player option with Philly, but all murmurs suggest that he’ll opt out in order to seize a lucrative deal.
Should he return to the Sixers, they have a chance to run it back with new coach Nick Nurse determined to handle them and provide a fresh start in the post-Doc Rivers era. Meanwhile, the idea of returning home to Houston is undeniably enticing given the franchise’s large cap space to sign him while potentially allowing him to run the show once again this time from the guide of Ime Udoka.
The goals of cashing out greatly and having a stronger chance to contend for that elusive title are truly considerations of Harden to ultimately determine the path that he will embark on. Only time will tell what will unfold for the star guard as all league circles keenly watch his next move.