Woj: James Harden's 76ers Future 'Very Unclear'; Rockets 'Very Much in Play' in FA

James Harden's future with the Philadelphia 76ers is very much in question as the veteran point guard can opt out of the final year of his contract this summer to become a free agent and explore the open market.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski even reported on the latest episode of his podcast (27:58 mark) that Harden could return to the Houston Rockets this summer:

"James Harden's future is very unclear in Philadelphia. Houston is very much in play for him. And I think a lot may depend on, do they make a run and win and it's easy to pay him long-term big money? Or he just wants to be back in Houston. Win or lose, he goes. Or it's dependent on the team's success."

Harden has a player option for the 2023-24 season worth $35.6 million.

While the three-time scoring champion hasn't officially revealed whether or not he'll opt out of his contract, he hinted he could be doing so by hiring former Adidas executive Tom Payne to be his representation in February, per The Athletic's Shams Charania.

The news was notable because Harden hadn't had a full-time agency partnership since 2017, when his former agent, Rob Pelinka, became general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Rockets have been mentioned as a possible landing spot for Harden since late 2022 when Wojnarowski reported in December that he was "considering" a return to the franchise this summer.

The Athletic's Sam Amick and Kelly Iko reported in March that Harden is "serious" about a return to Houston, adding that the Rockets are "widely expected to pursue the 13-year veteran point guard if, as is expected, he declines his player option for the 2023-24 season."

The Rockets are going to be one of the most financially flexible teams in the NBA this summer, boasting an estimated $59 million in cap space. So, the franchise can make a run at just about any player it wants.

Iko wrote on Tuesday that the Rockets are "making a real push to improve quickly," so it's no surprise bringing back Harden is on the table.

"In a perfect world, Houston would add three to four veterans this summer who could step into the rotation and contribute right away," Iko wrote. "A point guard, a rim-protecting big and two-way help on the wing would be ideal."

Harden spent eight and a half seasons with the Rockets from 2012 until he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets during the 2020-21 campaign. In 621 games with the franchise, he averaged 29.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.8 steals while shooting 44.3 percent from the floor and 36.2 percent from deep.

The California native won his three scoring titles in Houston, was a nine-time All-Star with the franchise and won the 2017-18 MVP award.

The biggest problem during Harden's tenure with the Rockets was the team's inability to reach the NBA Finals, having gone to the Western Conference Finals just twice, falling to the Golden State Warriors on both occasions.

While the Rockets have been one of the worst teams in the NBA the last few seasons, the franchise has a plethora of young talent, and bringing in some veterans, like Harden, could help the team as it continues its rebuild.