The Houston Rockets are believed to be “out of the running” when it comes to 2023 NBA free agency negotiations with Philadelphia 76ers superstar James Harden, reports Kelly Iko of The Athletic.
“In recent days, I’ve understood that Houston is no longer an option for James,” Iko said in a Twitter live stream on Wednesday.
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“I would call them out of the running,” Iko added. “James was never interested in taking some kind of discount two years in a row. He made, what, $34-35 million this year? He could stand to make 50 to 52 (million). He was not going to take a discount, and the Rockets were never going to pay him that kind of max money.”
Most media reports are suggesting that Harden, who previously played eight All-Star seasons with the Rockets, is likely to return to the Sixers and continue his partnership with MVP Joel Embiid.
As for Houston, general manager Rafael Stone seems to be more focused on Toronto’s Fred VanVleet for the lead guard role. VanVleet, 29, is several years younger than Harden and provides more value defensively, and he’s also less ball-dominant on offense — which could make for an easier fit alongside young playmakers such as Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, and Amen Thompson.
The IkoSystem — Rockets Free Agency Preview https://t.co/dL2cgzWr5T
— Kelly Iko (@KellyIko) June 28, 2023
The Rockets will enter free agency with an NBA-leading figure of approximately $60 million in financial space beneath the 2023-24 salary cap. They will also have a room exception to potentially spend, which could add another salary at nearly $8 million next season.
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