James Harden is pushing his exit from the Houston Rockets hours before reports suggesting he wanted to reunite with former teammate Kevin Durant in Brooklyn. Harden has spent the last eight years of his career with the Rockets and after a couple of seasons trying to succeed in the NBA, it may be time for him to try something different and see if he can win alongside Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn.
Harden was linked with more teams in recent days, such as the Philadelphia 76ers but now the Nets appear to have the upper hand in this race. The Houston Chronicles reported that he wants out of the Rockets and wants to specifically land in Brooklyn with the Nets.
BREAKING: James Harden wants OUT of Houston and wants to land on the Brooklyn Nets, via @HoustonChron
(h/t @TheNBACentral) pic.twitter.com/Ifz7ERlIC4
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) November 16, 2020
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson added that the Beard officially requested a trade from the team, trying to accelerate his exit.
James Harden has officially requested a trade.
— đź‘‘ Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) November 16, 2020
Brooklyn Nets is James Harden’s preferred destination.
An 8-Time NBA All-Star & 3-time NBA scoring champ, if Harden were traded to Brooklyn, again team with Thunder teammate Kevin Durant & ex-FIBA US basketball teammate, Kyrie Irving. They won a gold medal together in 2014. https://t.co/pnmqB69oMU
— đź‘‘ Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) November 16, 2020
The closest he was to play in the Finals was in 2018, where the Rockets had a 3-2 lead over the Golden State Warriors and various factors prevented them from going to the big series. Now Russell Westbrook wants out of Houston, Harden too, and the team will try to get the most advantage from those situations.
Harden is set to leave the Rockets and join the Nets, in a move that could happen in the next couple of hours. The Rockets want plenty of things in return and Brooklyn is the team that can easily provide them.
**UPDATE**
Serge Ibaka and the Nets also have mutual interest. In recent days it was reported that Kevin Durant was recruiting the 2019 NBA champion to Brooklyn. Now they could pull off an Oklahoma City Thunder reunion with James Harden.
As I reported, KD has been recruiting Ibaka. OKC reunion with Harden? https://t.co/PlDhFWDIdd
— Mike Mazzeo (@MazzNYC) November 16, 2020
This story is still developing and just like they did last year, the Nets could shock the world with their off-season moves.