James Harden appears to want to leave the Houston Rockets so badly that he’s willing to try unpopular methods in order to force a move.
The Rockets entered the training camp late last week, but Harden wasn’t there for the first practice with the rest of the team. Initially, Houston said that the All-Star’s absence is a result of COVID-19 protocols, but the head coach Stephen Silas is now referring to it as “holdout.”
“There is no timetable, as far as I know,” said Silas on Monday when asked about Harden’s arrival. “It is a setback. You want your best player to be here.”
Harden reportedly asked for a trade earlier in the offseason and wants to join the Brooklyn Nets. According to sources, the 31-year-old Harden believes teaming up with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving would give him a better chance to win a title.
So far, the Rockets were unwilling to part ways with their best player and are hoping to convince Harden to remain in Houston. They even tried signing him to a new extension, which would make him the highest-paid player in the history of the league but ended up getting rejected.
It now remains to be seen how long Houston will tolerate Harden’s behavior and whether the player is willing to go to even greater lengths to get his wish.
