HOUSTON, TX - FEBRUARY 27: James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets celebrates a basket during their game against the Brooklyn Nets at the Toyota Center on February 27, 2015 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)Cue up the Beastie Boys. It seems like James Harden has told the Houston Rockets there will “No Sleep ‘Til Brooklyn” for the highly-acclaimed scorer.
According to ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski, Harden has sent a “clear message” to the Houston front office. He wants to be traded to the Nets–so much so, in fact, that he apparently turned down an insanely lucrative contract extension to make that point clear.
“As Harden’s conversations with the Nets stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving ramped up in recent weeks on the West Coast, sources say the Rockets made a pitch for him to sign the maximum allowable extension — two years and $103 million on top of the remaining three years, $133 million on his current deal,” Wojnarowski wrote Monday night.
While Harden definitely wants out of Houston, it’s not that simple for the southpaw superstar. He’s still under contract for three seasons, so the Rockets aren’t under the gun to trade him yet.
If Houston can’t find what it deems an acceptable return package–and Wojnarowski says there’s “no indication” right now that Brooklyn can deliver that–they don’t have to rush to deal Harden.
Sources: After turning down an extension offer to become the first $50M a year player in league history, James Harden’s message to Houston is clear: Get me to Brooklyn. Rockets and Nets have been in contact, but there’s been no meaningful dialogue. https://t.co/qwJOQOxz5U
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 17, 2020
With Harden and Russell Westbrook both reportedly wanting out of H-Town, the Rockets are about to enter an entirely new era and a potentially extensive rebuild.
It will be incredibly interesting to see how this situation plays out in the coming days.
