Good morning, Hoops Heads! Here’s the latest NBA news from around the league.
NBA News: James Harden back to Houston?
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. After Chris B. Haynes reported that 76ers guard James Harden might consider returning to Houston next offseason, few took notice. However, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski also expressed the same sentiment with his Christmas morning tweet that set NBA Twitter ablaze.
The thought of Harden returning to Houston brings up a number of interesting questions. For starters, is Harden unhappy in Philadelphia? Or is he really pining to go back to Houston? For that matter, would Houston welcome him back after he forced his way out?
The answer to the last question would probably be yes. They have a nice group of young players, but they are still the third-worst team in the NBA. Imagine them drafting Victor Wembanyama, then later signing Harden in the same off-season. Then pair them with Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr., giving the Rockets one of the best young cores in the NBA in addition to Harden.
That combination of young talent paired with an all-time great would be fascinating, and they may even be good enough to make the playoffs next season. Thus, Harden, who, granted, isn’t the same player he was when he left but is still very good, should be welcomed back if he wants to return.
Meanwhile, the 76ers losing Harden for nothing would be a gut punch after trading Ben Simmons, Andre Drummond, Seth Curry, and two firsts for him. They could trade him, but, then again, that would hurt their title chances this season.
They’d obviously still have Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, but that might not be enough to beat the Bucks and Celtics. The Harden situation is definitely something to keep an eye on going forward.
NBA News: DeMar DeRozan giving the Bulls notice?
Things haven’t gone well for the Chicago Bulls thus far, and reports of chemistry issues between Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan don’t help matters. That’s led to speculation that the Bulls may decide to blow up the roster before the trade deadline, and there’s one possible trade that would get the ball rolling.
Meanwhile, according to Chris B. Haynes, DeRozan will consider asking for a trade in the…
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