It seemed more likely now that James Harden will not be playing for the Houston next season as fresh reports indicated that beyond the former MVP's preferred destinations, the Rockets are now prepared to make a deal with other teams. The latest to join the sweepstakes are the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors.
Harden joined the Rockets in pre-season matches but not before the three-time scoring champion making clear that wants out of Houston. The 31-year-old pointed to either the Brooklyn Nets or Philadelphia 76ers as his favored organizations but the Rockets are said to be exploring more trade possibilities.
Initially, the Houston franchise seemed reluctant to see Harden go and even made notable signings in the past week in the hope that the superstar would be convinced to stay. It looked, however, that the recent addition of John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins made no difference and The Beard is still expecting to be traded out.
That being the case, ESPN reported that the Rockets have decided to widen their options. The organization is now discussing with other teams the likelihood of trading out Harden, meaning the Rockets are now negotiating beyond the Nets and Sixers.
Per the same report, several teams have already expressed interest in discussing things with the Rockets front office and these suitors are said to be willing to close a deal even without the assurance of having a lock on Harden for the long-term.
While no specific names have been mentioned it should be safe to assume that Harden will want to join up with a team that can win the NBA championship if the trade to Brooklyn or Philadelphia cannot be arranged. On this, candidates such as the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers did emerge in the past days but there are more realistic options for Houston.
And these landing spots for Harden are headlined by the Celtics and Raptors, according to Fadeaway World, which picked up on the report by ESPN radio host John Granato.
Boston and Toronto are now high on the list because they have the assets that Houston deemed as worthy enough to make them give up a superstar like Harden. Granato claimed that if a trade deal on Harden can be agreed upon, the package offers must include Pascal Siakam or Jaylen Brown. And there must be notable add-ons.
Any of the two teams acquiring Harden will lead to a significant shift of balance in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics and Raptors are with solid rosters that will certainly get a boost if the superstar will be on board.
In the same way, Siakam or Brown teaming up with the Wall and Cousins in Houston should make for a good campaign for the team next season.
