James Harden refutes Adrian Wojnarowski's report claiming he wants a Houston return
Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden has recently garnered some attention as talks of him potentially returning to his former team have surfaced. With Harden taking note of the situation, the superstar addressed what the future looked like regarding a return to the Houston Rockets.
The Philadelphia 76ers made a huge move by prying James Harden away from the Brooklyn Nets midway through last season. After pairing the guard with one of the most dominant big men in the league in Joel Embiid, Philadelphia featured one of the most potent duos in the NBA.
Unfortunately, the 76ers failed to make much noise in the playoffs as they fell out of the title race early on. However, the 2022-23 season presented a lot more promise for Philadelphia.
Harden earned a lot of criticism for his poor performances in the playoffs. To settle this, the guard showed his commitment to the city and the organization when he took a paycut to give Philadelphia the flexibility to improve their roster.
With his eyes set on the title, the 76ers superstar has every intention of helping this side get to the promised land. After signing a two-year extension with the team, this appears to be a possibility.
However, some rumors have emerged as of late that have suggested that there may be other things on the horizon for Harden. A report by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski recently suggested that the guard may consider a return to his former team, the Houston Rockets, next summer.
When asked about the report before the Christmas Day game against the Knicks, as per The Philadelphia Inquirer's Keith Pompey, Harden responded by saying:
"What report?"
When the reporter asked about the report further and mentioned the link to Houston, the 76ers superstar responded by saying:
"Why would you ask me about that on Christmas, man? You didn’t say Merry Christmas or nothing. You asked me about something that I ain’t even … I’m not answering. I didn’t see nothing.”
Harden's response is quite understandable in this situation. With an important matchup a few moments away, the superstar obviously had more things to worry about.
Harden, on the other hand, added to his remarks about the situation following a win over the Knicks. He stated:
"I’m here. We are playing very well. And I don’t know where the report came from. But I’m very excited to be here. We are playing well, and we’re continuing to get better.”
#Sixers' James Harden on report that he's considering a return to Houston:“I’m here. We are playing very well. And I don’t know where the report came from. But I’m very excited to be here. We are playing well, and we’re continuing to get better.”
inquirer.com/sixers/james-h…
James Harden has certainly been impressive for Philadelphia this season. Displaying his influence in the team's success against the New York Knicks as well, Harden played a vital role in helping the 76ers notch a win on Christmas Day.
James Harden puts on a show at Madison Square Garden
The Philadelphia 76ers Christmas Day matchup against the New York Knicks saw James Harden at his finest. In the process of leading the 76ers to a 119-112 win in New York, Harden put on a show at Madison Square Garden.
The 76ers guard notched an impressive 29 points against New York. However, his brilliance shone brightest on the playmaking front. Harden recorded 13 assists to get Philadelphia's offense going. With four steals to add to his offensive masterclass, the 76ers saw Harden play some great basketball.
Alongside Harden, Philadelphia saw Joel Embiid dominate on the offensive front as he notched 35 points to lead the scoring while grabbing eight rebounds.
Harden has been in tremendous form as of late. Coming off an impressive triple-double outing against the LA Clippers, Philadelphia will hope to see their superstar guard sustain this form.
Read: How have James Harden's stats been impacted by playing with Joel Embiid?