It has been a turbulent 2020 offseason for the Houston Rockets, who installed a new GM and head coach and then had to manage trade requests from All-Star guards Russell Westbrook and James Harden.
Westbrook’s request was fulfilled by sending him to Washington for John Wall and future draft compensation, while Harden’s desire of a trade to the Nets is on hold for the foreseeable future — largely due to Brooklyn lacking the high-level assets to justify trading a perennial MVP finalist.
As new head coach Stephen Silas sees it, though, he’s not worried about any lingering effect once group activities begin at training camp.
In Thursday’s media availability, Silas said of Harden:
I’m confident that he’ll be all in. That’s where I’m leaving it. As I’ve said, I’m giving him his space to do his thing, but I’m confident he’ll be here when we get started.
Silas was asked earlier whether he had spoken to Harden since the Wall trade, and he indicated that “space” was a priority.
When stuff like this happens with a little indecision and stuff going on, I kind of take a step back and give a little space. … Guys like that need that. They need to figure it out, and they don’t need someone banging on them.
Harden reportedly preferred swapping Westbrook for Wall, which would seem to indicate that he’s actively thinking about the team likely to be around him with the Rockets to start the 2020-21 season.
Group work for the Rockets begins at Toyota Center on Sunday, Dec. 6, and Silas said Thursday that he expects the entire roster to be in attendance and ready to go by that date. That means Harden, too.
Rockets coach Stephen Silas on James Harden: "When stuff like this happens with a little indecision and stuff going on, I kind of take a step back and give a little space. … Guys like that need that. They need to figure it out, and they don't need someone banging on them."
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) December 3, 2020
Stephen Silas asked about his confidence James Harden will be all-in with what he’s trying to build here: “I’m confident that he’ll be all in. That’s where I’m leaving it. As I’ve said,I’m giving him his space to do his thing, but I’m confident he’ll be here when we get started.”
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) December 3, 2020
