NBA Insider: 'Keep Your Eye' on James Harden to Suns amid Chris Paul Rumors

With the Phoenix Suns potentially in the market for a new starting point guard, James Harden might find himself on their radar as he weighs his future with the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason.

On ESPN 710's Mason and Ireland show Wednesday (starts at 1:30 mark), ESPN's Ramona Shelburne cited the Suns as a destination to "keep your eye on" for Harden.

B/R's Chris Haynes reported Wednesday that the Suns have notified Chris Paul that they plan to waive him, which will make him a free agent.

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Paul and the Suns "intend to find a resolution this offseason" that suits both parties, including a potential trade, stretching his contract, or waiving and re-signing him in free agency.

Shelburne noted the Suns wouldn't let Paul go "unless they feel pretty good about somebody else" being able to step in and take his spot.

The Suns will have to make a decision on Paul by no later than June 28. He is owed $30.8 million next season, but only $15.8 million of that is guaranteed until that date.

Harden's situation has been one of the biggest talking points in the NBA for months. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski originally reported on Christmas Day the former MVP was "seriously considering" returning to the Houston Rockets if he leaves the Sixers this summer.

The rumblings about a Harden-Rockets reunion have only gotten louder since Philadelphia's season ended with a playoff loss to the Boston Celtics.

Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported on May 19 that Harden was expected to opt out of his deal with the 76ers and sign with the Rockets.

Charania said earlier this week on The Ryen Russillo Podcast (starts at 9:19 mark) that Harden is "torn" on whether to stay with Philadelphia or go back to Houston.

The possibility of adding Phoenix into the mix would at least increase Harden's negotiating leverage with the other teams. There's also a strong argument the Suns would give him the best chance to compete for a title next season.

The Rockets did bring in Ime Udoka as head coach, but the roster is still built around a young, unproven core led by top-three draft picks Jabari Smith Jr. and Jalen Green.

The 76ers have reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, but they haven't advanced past the second round of the playoffs since the 2000-01 season. They are banking on incoming head coach Nick Nurse to get them over the top amid a string of playoff disappointments with Doc Rivers leading the roster.

Phoenix will have Kevin Durant and Devin Booker together for a full season after it acquired the former from the Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 9. New head coach Frank Vogel has spoken highly of Deandre Ayton, but the 24-year-old center could also be used as a trade chip for a team that needs more depth behind those two superstars.

Harden's history of playing with Durant would make him a seamless fit for the Suns roster. They spent three seasons together with the Oklahoma City Thunder from 2009-10 to 2011-12.

The duo also played 52 games together between the regular season and playoffs with the Nets over the course of two seasons in 2020-21 and 2021-22 before Harden was traded to Philadelphia in February 2022.