All-Star guard James Harden has informed the Houston Rockets that the Boston Celtics and Portland Trail Blazers are among his preferred trade destinations, per Sam Amick and Kelly Iko of The Athletic.
The Celtics and Blazers join Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Miami, and Milwaukee, who were already believed to be on Harden’s list.
But given the length of Harden’s contract (at least two more seasons) and his importance to the Rockets as a perennial MVP finalist, the team doesn’t necessarily feel bound to his preferred list. From the report:
If a deal is to be made, it will only be in the best interest of the organization and won’t be tied to his list of preferred destinations. The team knows what Harden wants already — a trade elsewhere to compete for a championship.
James Harden’s list of preferred destinations now includes the Boston Celtics and Portland Trail Blazers, sources tell @TheAthletic.
Inside another wild week in Houston— reported with @KellyIkoNBA https://t.co/zSGC4Vf7dW
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) December 24, 2020
That said, Harden’s list could influence what offers the Rockets get from other teams, since suitors might be reluctant to meet Houston’s lofty asking price without assurances that Harden has interest in a long-term partnership there. As such, his list initially grew from one team (Nets) to two (76ers), and two to four (Heat, Bucks), and now four to six (Celtics, Trail Blazers). In time, that willingness to be flexible might help the Rockets get their expected high level of return for Harden.
The Rockets are believed to seeking a young franchise cornerstone and significant future draft compensation as part of any deal involving “The Beard.” If they don’t receive that level of return, Houston is content to keep Harden for themselves while pairing him with newcomers such as John Wall and Christian Wood. In time, the Rockets would like to re-convince Harden that he could compete for an NBA title in Houston.
Thus, for the time being, the Rockets appear ready to ride it out. With Harden in the starting lineup, Houston’s first game of the 2020-21 regular season will take place Saturday night in Portland.
