John Wall Says James Harden Has Been Leader for Rockets Amid Trade Rumors

As the Houston Rockets continue to navigate James Harden trade rumors, John Wall called the former NBA MVP one of the team's leaders. 

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Wall explained that the Rockets players have been able to turn off the outside noise around what's happening with Harden away from the court. 

“At the end of the day, we can’t focus on what James does off the court," Wall said. "All we know is he comes in every day. He works hard. He’s been one of the leaders of our team in this locker room. That’s all we can ask for.”

Harden's relationship with the Rockets has been one of the biggest stories of the offseason. The strife first became public in November when ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the eight-time All-Star turned down an extension and was "singularly focused on a trade" to the Brooklyn Nets. 

When the Rockets opened training camp earlier this month, Harden reported late. First-year head coach Stephen Silas told reporters Dec. 14 he had a "good discussion" with his star player. 

"You can ask him about his commitment and all that sort of thing," Silas said. "But we had a good conversation. He was locked in. He was asking good questions. He was bringing up good points. We had a good discussion."

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Harden has added the Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat to his list of preferred trade destinations. 

All of this comes as the Rockets are preparing to enter a new era under Silas and first-year general manager Rafael Stone. Wall was acquired from the Washington Wizards in exchange for Russell Westbrook to give the roster a new dynamic. 

Harden, 31, has two guaranteed years and a $47.4 million player option for the 2022-23 season on his current contract. He has led the NBA in scoring average in each of the past three seasons.