Daryl Morey Says Harden Is ‘Focused’ on Sixers as Rumors Spread

There is smoke around a James Harden reunion with the Houston Rockets, but Daryl Morey is confident the star guard is focused on winning with the Sixers.

While the James Harden and Houston Rockets reunion rumors have gone mostly silent for a couple of months, multiple reports refueled the speculation once again as the Philadelphia 76ers prepare for the final stretch of their regular season.

Kelly Iko, who covers the Rockets for The Athletic, predicted a 70 percent chance that Harden will return to the Rockets in the offseason. ESPN’s Tim McMahon followed up with a report of his own, mentioning that Houston believes a reunion is a “legitimate possibility.”

The recent speculation comes after the famous Christmas Day “Woj Bomb” by ESPN Adrian Wojnarowski. In case you forgot, Wojnarowski reported just hours before the Sixers and the New York Knicks tipped off on National TV that Harden was “seriously considering” a return to the Rockets in free agency as early as this summer.

While Harden declined to comment on the report before the Sixers and the Knicks tipped off on Christmas, the ten-time All-Star denied the speculation after the game.

With the speculation heating up again, Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey addressed all of the talk surrounding Harden during an appearance on SportsCenter. 

Here’s what the Sixers’ President said, according to Liberty Ballers:

“I know [Harden] is just focused on this season and not the offseason. I know he’s focused on winning the championship. He’s gonna be wherever he feels like he has the best chance. Obviously his pairing with [Joel] Embiid is very, very good and we feel like it’s a great pairing for the long term.”

Over the summer, Harden signed a two-year deal with the Sixers, but the second season is a player option. It became clear when Harden signed a short-term deal, it was the star betting on himself after back-to-back injury-plagued seasons.

If Harden accepts his option for the 2023-2024 season, he’ll make over $35 million for the year. If he declines, he’ll hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent, mirroring a move he made last summer.

It’s unclear the path Harden will take, but the Sixers seem confident in the fact that he’s committed to trying to bring a title back to Philadelphia. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.