NEW YORK — Is James Harden seriously considering a return to the Houston Rockets in free agency? Or is the 76ers point guard letting the team know there will be no discount this time?
We'll find out in negotiations this summer, but ESPN reported the former an hour before the Sixers faced the New York Knicks in a Christmas Day game on Sunday morning at Madison Square Garden.
Asked before the game about the report, Harden responded: "What report?"
Harden said he didn't know what the reporter was talking about and became agitated when asked about rumors that he was considering going back to Houston.
"Why would you ask me about that on Christmas, man?" he said. "You didn't say Merry Christmas or nothing. You asked me about something that I ain't even ... I'm not answering. I didn't see nothing."
Later told why the question had to be asked, Harden responded: "I'm not talking right now before the game."
Harden signed a two-year, $68.6 million contract with the Sixers on July 27. He has a player option for the 2023-24 season, which enables him to become a free agent this summer.
Harden opted out of a $47.4 million play option this summer to re-sign with the Sixers. He's making $33 million this season. The pay cut he accepted created enough cap space to sign his former teammates and friends, P.J. Tucker, Danuel House Jr., and Montrezl Harrell in free agency.
Harden played a little over eight seasons in Houston before forcing a trade to the Brooklyn Nets on Jan. 13, 2021. Harden, one of the Rockets' all-time best players, won the 2018 MVP award and three scoring titles as a Rocket.
