Why a James Harden reunion with the Houston Rockets makes sense

   The way James Harden endeared himself to the Houston Rockets fanbase amidst his departure in January 2021 felt far from amicable. A portion felt he had quit, and didn't give the current roster a fair chance to gel. Harden, 31 at the time, had one thing on his mind: winning a championship. It was obvious he felt the days of the Rockets being a title contender were over, and a change of scenery was needed.

  Over two years later, and Harden is still in pursuit of the prize that has eluded him his entire career. His Thunder team was too young and inexperienced against a hungry Heat team in 2012. The Rockets lived, and ultimately, died by the three in 2018. Brooklyn was an inch away from advancing to the conference finals in 2021. Playoff misfortune has marred his Hall of Fame career. He has a chance to silence the naysayers again this year, with the 47-22 76ers captained by MVP frontrunner Joel Embiid. They've established themselves as a pick-and-roll dynamo, and a 1-2 punch that can slug with the best of them.

  Why would James Harden even consider leaving that behind? Maybe he just wants to come home.

 It was first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski on Christmas day. Then by Sam Amick and Kelly Iko earlier this month. Something about smoke, fire, you know the rest.

Plenty of his family still live in Houston. He owns a restaurant downtown. Every August, he hosts JHTown weekend in Houston, where he gives back to the community. Even throughout the season, if the opportunity presents itself, the beard makes a quick trip to Houston. It's also safe to say that if Harden were to return, it wouldn't be a courtesy deal where he rides off into the sunset. The man is still one of the best in the association.

 Entering March 18th, 2023, Harden currently averages 21.7 PPG, a league-leading 10.8 APG, while shooting 39% from beyond the arc. He's adapted extremely well as the sidekick to Embiid and the floor general for the 76ers who has made everything easier for everybody. Harden has had 15 or more asssits 7 times this season, including games of 21, and 20 dimes. Being an elite distributor is nothing new to him, he also led the league in assists in 2017, when he averaged 11.2. He continues to be one of the best playmakers of his generation, and brings to the table so many things the Rockets need.

  Bringing Harden back would signal the Rockets are trying to be competitive, and they will, for numerous reasons. The OKC Thunder own their 2024 & 2026 first round draft picks as a part of the Russell Westbrook trade. The better the Rockets are, the less value OKC gets in return. If everything goes well, these two teams could be competing for playoff positioning for years to come, and the last thing Houston wants is to make a conference rival better.

 Harden would bring stability at the point guard positions. Make all kinds of passes that no other guard on the team can. Provide much needed three-point shooting and veteran experience as well. His next potential stint in Houston could be compared to Chris Paul's current run in Phoenix. He won't be here to be the head honcho most nights and put up 30 shots, but be the floor general who elevates the game of everybody around him. As his athleticism and first step wanes, he'll always have his passing and savviness to fall back on.

 The "over-38 rule" prevents the Sixers from offering Harden a five-year max contract, which plays well into the Rockets hands. From a financial standpoint, they can match their offer all while having no state income tax.  

 James Harden has never been one to dwell over critics, and as time goes on it only proves they can never be satisfied. People will inevitably question a reunion with the Rockets. But those who've followed him closely know the writing was always on the wall. "It's far from a goodbye as I pay all my debts. TMC H Town!" Harden said in his farewell post upon being traded to Brooklyn.

 The Sixers will do everything they can to keep their star point guard in Philadelphia. But a Harden homecoming may thwart any attempt this offseason.