NBA 2020-21: The arrival of John Wall has left All-NBA guard James Harden unmoved and uninterested in pursuing a new partnership, and the franchise star continues to push the Houston Rockets for a trade, sources told ESPN.
After making his Rockets preseason debut this past weekend, Wall expressed hope that Harden might become excited about playing with him in a backcourt a prospect that Harden is rejecting as he prepares to rejoin the team Monday in practice, sources said.
“I think me and James can be a heck of a combination,” Wall told reporters after the Rockets’ 104-91 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Sunday night. “I just hope we get the opportunity to get into the regular season and see how it goes.”
NBA 2020-21: James Harden to join Houston Rockets’ training camp along with PJ Tucker
This isn’t personal with Wall, and as one source told ESPN, there’s “no change” in Harden’s desire for a fresh start elsewhere.
After detouring to social engagements in Atlanta and Las Vegas before reporting late for training camp last week, Harden has shown to Rockets ownership and management his purpose to be professional and interested upon joining the team, sources said.
For the Rockets, this is necessary for the team to operate under new coach Stephen Silas while also allowing for some leverage in the trade market to get closer to full value for Harden.
NBA Preseason Schedule: Check out the NBA preseason schedule here.
The Rockets have talked with the two primary preferred trade destinations for Harden, the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers, sources said. Brooklyn remains Harden’s top choice, which would mean a reunion with his former Oklahoma City teammate, Kevin Durant.
For now, the Sixers are unwilling to include All-Stars Joel Embiid or Ben Simmons in trades, and the Rockets are uninterested in a package primarily composed of the Nets’ complementary players and draft picks, sources said.
The Nets aren’t interested in trading Kyrie Irving, nor have the Rockets expressed an interest in acquiring him, sources said. For starters, the Nets and Rockets would need to find a more palatable young player on a third team as part of a broader deal, sources said, and there’s no indication that prospect has gained any traction in recent weeks.
Tucker, unhappy without a contract extension, has been limited in his participation in the preseason and did not join the team on the two-game trip to Chicago.
Teams would be reluctant to give up the assets required to get a player of Harden’s caliber without confidence that he would be willing to remain with that franchise when he can opt-out of his contract after the 2021-22 season.
NBA 2020-21: Kyrie Irving breaks his silence, speaks to the media about James Harden
Few contending teams have the ability to furnish Houston with the combination of assets that it’s seeking to consider dealing with Harden.
Houston hasn’t wavered in what the Rockets consider a fair asking price for Harden: a package that includes a young franchise cornerstone and a bundle of first-round picks and/or talented players on rookie contracts, sources said.
NBA Schedule: The tentative NBA schedule calendar for the 2020-21 season:
• Dec. 11-19, 2020: Preseason games
• Dec. 22, 2020 – March 4, 2021: First Half of regular season
• March 5-10, 2021: All-Star break
• March 11 – May 16, 2021: Second Half of regular season
• May 18-21, 2021: Play-In Tournament
• May 22 – July 22, 2021: 2021 NBA Playoffs
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