James Harden Releases Letter to Rockets Fans After Signing Contract Extension

James Harden agreed to a four-year, $118 million contract renegotiation with the Houston Rockets on Saturday, and the star shooting guard took time to pen a letter to the fanbase and express his excitement with the direction in which the franchise is headed.

On Monday, the team's official Twitter account posted the heartfelt message: 

While the Rockets may not have assembled a superteam, as Harden admitted, they have the potential to wield one of the NBA's most potent offenses a year after ranking seventh in efficiency on that end of the floor.

Beyond Harden, who's averaged at least 25 points per game in every season since arriving in Houston, the Rockets boast Trevor Ariza and Patrick Beverley as well as a pair of strong free-agent signees in former New Orleans Pelicans studs Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson. 

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
Patrick Beverley	James Harden	Trevor Ariza	Ryan Anderson	Clint Capela
----	Eric Gordon	Corey Brewer	Montrezl Harrell	Nene
----	----	K.J. McDaniels	Michael Beasley
----	----	Sam Dekker	----	----

That may not be a title-caliber unit yet, but it could be the makings of one in a few years if the team develops chemistry alongside its bearded leader—who was the only player in the NBA to average at least 29 points, seven assists and six rebounds per game last season.

"We're going to build it and build it until we get it," Harden said at a press conference Saturday, according to the Houston Chronicle's Brian T. Smith.

Harden also noted he used Houston's rocky 2015-16 season as a learning experience that will help shape his leadership style in the years to come.

"Leaders aren't built when things are going extremely well," he said, per Smith. "So I had to learn from it. I had to figure out, how can I be better individually? How can I grasp my team and bring us a lot closer? … I've learned so much."

Competing for supremacy in a top-heavy Western Conference won't be easy, but if Harden and Co. can steadily rise up the standings and develop a positive culture thanks to The Beard's reformed approach, plenty of prosperity could be in the team's future. 

Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com.