NBA Trade Rumors: James Harden and Russell Westbrook express concerns about Houston Rockets future raising doubts about their commitment
After the departure of GM Daryl Morey and head coach Mike D'Antoni, the Houston Rockets are moving in a new direction under Rafael Stone and coach Stephen Silas. NBA trade rumors regarding the future of Houston's star duo James Harden and Russell Westbrook emerged recently. The uncertainty was further compounded by the latest ESPN report, which revealed that Harden and Westbrook are concerned about the franchise's future.
NBA Trade Rumors: James Harden and Russell Westbrook express concerns over Houston Rockets' future
James Harden and Russell Westbrook are one of the few superstar duos in the NBA. Both players have won the MVP title, and have been the face of their respective franchises (Westbrook for the OKC Thunder and Harden for the Houston Rockets).
However, the partnership failed to impress in the 2019-20 NBA season, as the Houston Rockets crashed out of the playoffs in the second round. Ever since the team's untimely exit, NBA trade rumors have linked Harden and Westbrook with moves to contending teams.
The Houston Rockets front office reacted to the team's elimination by replacing the head coach and General Manager. Team owner Tilman Fertitta has maintained that the objective remains to compete for a championship. Last month's NBA trade rumors suggested the team was looking to add complementary pieces around the duo.
However, ESPN's NBA insiders Tim McMahon and Adrian Wojnarowski revealed that both James Harden and Russell Westbrook have expressed their concern about the Houston Rockets' future.
As per NBA trade rumors, the pair has not requested a trade at this point, but the possibility of roster changes remains high. James Harden and Russel Westbrook are NBA veterans who are nearing the end of their prime. Neither of the players has won an NBA championship. As a result, rebuilding is not an option for the Rockets while the superstars are on the roster.
Both James Harden and Russell Westbrook were the subject of multiple NBA trade rumors throughout the 2019-20 NBA season. Several contenders are still interested in acquiring the players ahead of the next NBA season.
NBA trade rumors indicate that newly-appointed Philadelphia 76ers GM Daryl Morey is interested in acquiring James Harden. Meanwhile, Russell Westbrook has been linked to the New York Knicks and the LA Clippers.
The Houston Rockets' move for Westbrook in 2019 left the franchise with very few trade assets. While the departure of their stars would mark the end of the team's championship window, it would help the Houston Rockets acquire players and picks that can be used to start a rebuild.
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