Rockets Top Candidate to Reunite With Former MVP Amid Cli...

By Jalon DixonShareNewsweek is a Trust Project member

The Los Angeles Clippers continue to unravel.

A preseason pay-for-favor scandal involving Kawhi Leonard, Bradley Beal’s season-ending injury, and now the stunning release of Chris Paul have pushed the franchise into full-scale turmoil.

With speculation growing that the Clippers may punt on the season and shop their best veterans, league insiders are already pointing to one name with legitimate win-now value: James Harden.

And if Harden becomes available, one team keeps popping up behind the scenes, the Houston Rockets.

Why Harden to Houston Has Real Traction

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ClutchPoints reporter Brett Siegel recently noted that the Rockets are a team to “keep an eye on,” and the reasoning is straightforward.

Harden maintains a strong relationship with Kevin Durant, who arrived in Houston this summer and immediately elevated the franchise’s ceiling. A reunion would also offer Harden one last shot at a deep playoff run with the organization that turned him into an MVP.

Former NBA champion Jeff Teague said the quiet part out loud back in November.

“They need to trade James Harden," Jeff Teague said on the "Club 520 Podcast." "... I think he should go back to Houston, bro. He’s still playing such a high level of basketball… They’re bad. It ain’t bad for him to step back to the H… They got the pieces right there."

Teague’s point still holds: Harden’s production remains elite. He is averaging 26.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 8.4 assists on 43.7 percent shooting and nearly 37% from 3, ranking fifth in the NBA in assists and still functioning as one of the league’s best offensive engines.

MORE: Carmelo Anthony Blasts Clippers Over Handling of Chris Paul’s Exit

Why Houston Fits Harden Better Than the Clippers

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The Rockets, 14-5 with a top-five offense and defense, already profile as a fringe contender. But they rank 22nd in assists and 19th in turnovers, two areas where Harden’s playmaking could be transformational.

A lineup built around Durant, Alperen Sengun, Harden, Amen Thompson, and Jabari Smith Jr. answers nearly every question a contender must solve:

Harden no longer has to carry the scoring burden
Houston’s wings cover for his defensive limitations
Şengün gives him the best pick-and-roll partner he’s had since Clint Capela
Durant gives him a closer he trusts

That blend of structure and talent is something the Clippers have failed to provide.

MORE: Clippers’ Season Unravels as James Harden Acknowledges Harsh Reality

The Second Apron Problem

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There is just one issue and it’s massive. The second apron makes a Harden return nearly impossible without gutting Houston’s roster.

According to Spotrac, Harden is owed $39.1 million this season with a $42 million player option looming. Fred VanVleet carries a $25 million option of his own. To simply make the money work, Houston would have to consider something like:

Fred VanVleet
Reed Sheppard
Tari Eason

Even then, Houston risks locking itself into a financial gridlock that could cripple its long-term flexibility. Houston may be the best basketball home for Harden, but the league’s financial structure makes it one of the least realistic. Still, if the Clippers truly blow it up, the Rockets will be watching and so will Durant.

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