James Harden Rumors: Rockets Return Seen as 'Increasingly Uncertain' by Rival Teams

The Houston Rockets' interest in James Harden may not be as concrete as previously thought.

ESPN's Jeremy Woo reported the Rockets may consider Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore with the No. 4 pick in this month's NBA draft, which could take them out of the Harden race. Teams around the league see the Rockets' interest in reuniting with Harden as "increasingly uncertain."

The Rockets have widely been seen as the Philadelphia 76ers' biggest competitors in the Harden chase. Houston has $59.1 million in projected practical cap space, which would be more than enough to ink Harden to a long-term deal and add another quality piece to its youth-laden roster.

However, the idea of signing a declining star who turns 34 in August to this particular roster always seemed illogical. The Rockets have rebuilt their roster around high draft picks and young players with upside since Harden's departure in January 2021.

Every player who is currently considered part of the Rockets' long-term core is 23 years old or younger. Signing Harden not only defies the logical timeline of team-building but could also hamper the development of younger players who would be forced to take a backseat to the future Hall of Famer.

It's possible Harden simply wants to play in Houston for his own happiness and would take a discount to do so, but a return to Philadelphia remains by far the likeliest scenario. The Sixers provide a championship-quality supporting cast who can help Harden age gracefully and are bound by their own cap constraints into giving him a sizable long-term deal. There's no avenue—outside of an unlikely sign-and-trade—for the Sixers to remain among the upper-echelon of the Eastern Conference if Harden walks in free agency.

With former head coach Doc Rivers gone, the marriage just makes too much sense for both sides for it to end in divorce now.

Houston, meanwhile, would be better served by focusing its free-agency targets on younger veterans who can fit better within its core.