NBA Rumors: 76ers' James Harden 'Seriously Considering' Rockets Return in Free Agency

James Harden may have just dumped a lump of coal in the city of Philadelphia's stocking.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported a return to the Houston Rockets is possible for Harden next summer in free agency if he decides to leave the 76ers.

"Why would you ask me about that on Christmas, man?" Harden told reporters when asked about the report. "You didn't say Merry Christmas or nothing. You asked me about something that I ain't even … I'm not answering. I didn't see nothing."

On the surface, it would make zero logical sense for Harden to leave the Sixers for Houston. Philly came into Christmas Day a solid 19-12 despite rarely being fully healthy over the first third of the season.

Harden is clearly diminished from his MVP-winning prime but is averaging 21.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and an NBA-high 10.9 assists per game. Should they manage to stay healthy, the Sixers have the hallmarks of a contender in the Eastern Conference. It's the exact scenario Harden envisioned this offseason when he took a pay cut to remain in Philly this summer.

The Rockets have the worst record in the Western Conference (9-23) and are in the early stages of a rebuild that began when Harden forced his way out of Houston during the 2020-21 season. This is a roster with no reasonable chance to compete until Harden is at least 35 or 36. It's fair to wonder what use Harden has to Houston at this point in his career, either, given his timeline is so far off from the early twentysomethings that litter the roster.

This has all the hallmarks of a leverage play from Harden's camp. When Harden took a short-term pay cut with a player option for 2023-24, every logical person assumed he did so expecting to reenter free agency this coming summer and re-sign with a full max contract. The pay cut allowed the Sixers to use their full midlevel exception to sign P.J. Tucker, a move they could not have made if Harden signed for the full max.

If the Sixers sent some signals they might not be so willing to give Harden the full max, leaking out a potential departure makes some sense. After all, this is a man who forced trades in back-to-back seasons; he knows how to use the leverage playbook and isn't afraid to do it.

It's also possible Harden simply misses Houston and realizes he made a mistake. Harden has bounced to two different supposed contenders in as many years only to fall short in the playoffs. It's possible Harden has a bit of buyer's remorse and wishes he would have gone the Damian Lillard route of staying with a non-contender in an organization built around his happiness.