James Harden spotted enjoying night out in Houston just days after returning from Hong Kong
This week, James Harden joined NBA stars Paul George and Jimmy Butler in Hong Kong for a charity basketball game organized by Yao Ming. The Hall of Famer has continued to host an annual charity game in Hong Kong for years now, with the latest installment marking the 12th edition of the summer showcase.
While political issues between China and Hong Kong remain, Harden, George, Butler and Kyle Kuzma traveled overseas to participate in this summer's charity game. Unsurprisingly, the team with the four NBA stars emerged victorious, despite a "lowlight" of Paul George getting locked up.
After the charity event, Harden flew back to the United States, where he was seen enjoying a night out in Houston. Video footage from the night out shows Harden from across the club, while another clip shows the Clippers star dancing while appearing to hold a bottle of alcohol.
Harden's love for nightlife is well-documented, going all the way back to his days with the Houston Rockets. On one occasion, Harden allegedly even wound up getting his jersey hung in the rafters of a strip club in Houston after apparently spending $1 million in a single night.
Looking at the season ahead for James Harden and the Clippers after the departure of Paul George
Last season, the Clippers notably acquired James Harden from the Philadelphia 76ers after the former MVP and Daryl Morey wound up at odds. With the acquisition of Harden, things looked bright for the Clippers with the newly assembled big-four of Harden, George, Kawhi Leonard and Russell Westbrook.
Despite that star-studded roster, the team initially struggled as it looked for its rhythm and learned to play together. Once they achieved that, the Clippers made waves across the league, going on an 11-game win streak.
Once the playoffs rolled around, however, the team was hampered by injuries, with Leonard only playing two postseason games as the Clippers were eliminated in the first round.
While there was optimism that the Clippers would sign George to a contract extension, talks stalled during the season, resulting in the two sides parting ways this summer.
In addition to George signing with the Philadelphia 76ers, the Clippers also notably lost Westbrook, who signed with the Denver Nuggets after clearing waivers following a trade to Utah.
While there has been plenty of hype surrounding the upcoming 2024-25 NBA season for the Clippers with the opening of the Intuit Dome, the team will have to work around the losses of George and Westbrook, which could put it in a difficult position throughout the year if Leonard deals with injuries.
Fortunately for the team, James Harden is fresh off a 72-game season, giving the Clippers organization plenty of optimism that he can take on an even larger role within the team in the wake of George's departure.