Jalen Green on James Harden Rumors: Rockets Return 'Can Help and Hurt' at Same Time

Veteran guard James Harden is rumored to be returning to the Houston Rockets this offseason, but his arrival would undoubtedly have an effect on Houston's young players.

During an appearance on Podcast P with Paul George, Rockets shooting guard Jalen Green was posed with the possibility of Harden affecting his growth and development, and the youngster acknowledged that there are positives and negatives to adding a player of Harden's caliber to the roster.

"I agree. I think it can play both ways, like you just said. It can help and hurt at the same time," Green said. "I haven't really talked to him about the rumors or stuff like that, [but] I'm with you on that."

Green, who George called "the king of Houston" during their interview, was drafted second overall in 2021 to fill the void left by Harden after he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets midway through the 2020-21 campaign. He started all 76 games he played this past season and led the Rockets with 22.1 points per game, up from his average of 17.3 PPG as a rookie.

The 21-year-old has shown flashes that he may one day be able to be the type of dynamic offensive player Harden was during his prime, but the Rockets continued to struggle amid their continued rebuild.

Houston finished with a 22-60 record and drew the No. 4 pick in the NBA draft lottery, giving the franchise yet another chance to add a young player with a bright future. The Rockets drafted forward Jabari Smith Jr. with the No. 3 pick in 2022, and he was named to the NBA All-Rookie second team after averaging 12.8 points and 7.2 rebounds in 79 games.

Adding Harden to a young roster would allow the 10-time All-Star to return to being the No. 1 offensive option after deferring to star center Joel Embiid while he was with the Philadelphia 76ers. However, the 33-year-old likely would force the Rockets' youngsters into a position of deference because he's such a ball-dominant player.

Still, it remains to be seen whether Harden will actually make his way back to Houston this offseason.