Will Houston Rockets Offer 76ers’ James Harden Max Deal?

There has been no shortage of rumors regarding James Harden’s interest in potentially returning to the Houston Rockets next season.

Throughout the Philadelphia 76ers’ 2022-2023 season, Harden was linked to the Rockets numerous times, beginning on Christmas Day.

At this point, Harden is reportedly torn on whether or not he’ll head back to Houston. As the Sixers have prioritized bringing him back, another go-round in Philadelphia could be the best-case scenario for Harden from a basketball standpoint.

However, other factors are in play for the ten-time All-Star.

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, “family reasons” is among one of the factors that could convince Harden to reunite with his former franchise.

Also, there would be an opportunity for Harden to reunite with Houston head coach Ime Udoka, which could give the veteran a chance to run a system tailored to his playing style, which he has reportedly desired following the 2023 playoff run with the Sixers.

As the Rockets rumors surfaced throughout the season, it seemed Houston might’ve been willing to outbid the Sixers for his services with a max contract since it was reported the Sixers weren’t likely to consider offering Harden as much as they can offer to retain him long-term.

But that might not be the case. Per Scotto, there are “rumblings” about Houston’s hesitancy to offer Harden a max contract for his services. Harden, who turns 34 in August, remains one of the top playmaking guards in the league but continued to show a lack of consistency in the playoffs.

The chances of Harden landing a max contract in free agency this offseason seem to be getting slimmer by the day. And in the end, the financial aspect might not even determine Harden’s next move.

As the Sixers saw firsthand last summer, Harden is willing to take less for a desirable situation. Therefore, the Rockets don’t need to toss over $200 million Harden’s way to convince him to return.

Instead, Houston has to build a better roster that’s suited to help Harden lead them on a playoff run. If they fail to do that, then a max contract offer might have to be their last resort to land Harden.