Despite the significant rumors that they are looking to land a reunion, there are rumblings that the Houston Rockets aren’t interested in offering James Harden a max contract salary should he hit free agency this summer, per Mike Scotto in his latest HoopsHype podcast featuring The Athletic’s Kelly Iko.
Iko agreed with Scotto and further noted that Houston prefers to land three or four veterans and isn’t willing to spend the $45 million of their $60 million cap space on a single player.
“Do I think the Rockets are willing to give him the max? No. They want to add at least three or four veterans, and you can’t do that conceivably if you’re giving Harden upwards of $45-50 million. If it comes to a deal in the range of $30-33 million, I can see that. Then, you still have enough to get another marquee guy or two,” Iko said.
Chances are high that Harden will opt out his $35.6 million player option for next year given that he has this offseason as the only opportunity left to hammer a lucrative deal entering his 34 years of age.
As such, given his age and the gradual drop in numbers, the Rockets also appear not finding such reasonable thought in handing Harden his desired max contract. The All-Star guard already passed his prime and is now accustomed as the second or third-best player for a franchise.
It is yet to be seen how this summer will unfold in Harden’s free agency case, but the Philadelphia 76ers remain interested in running it back with him.
