Rockets' Jabari Smith Jr. to James Harden: 'Come Back Home'
There are a lot of mixed opinions regarding James Harden and his potential return to the Houston Rockets after his controversial exit in January 2021.
Harden spent nine years with the Rockets, winning the 2018 MVP award and leading the team to a pair of Western Conference Finals berths. However, he ultimately failed to push the Rockets to the NBA Finals, which has left unfinished business to his tenure.
The Rockets have moved on, trying to organically rebuild the team from the ground up, but after three years of disappointment, Houston appears hungry to win again, hence why Harden is once again on the team's radar. There's concern about whether Harden would be able to mesh with the core the Rockets have been building since his departure and whether his arrival would erase the progress made and bring Houston back to square one.
However, last year's No. 3 overall pick Jabari Smith Jr. would love to have Harden back in Houston.
"Come back home," Smith said via HoopsHype. "He did so much for that city; there’s still so much love for him in Houston. It would definitely feel like home for him if he came back."
Harden has his restaurant in Houston and still calls the city home, both of which are reasons why he'd come back to the Rockets rather than re-signing with the Philadelphia 76ers or another contender on the open market.
With the most cap space in the league, the Rockets can also offer Harden a deal that other teams cannot, which could entice the former MVP to return to Houston.
The Rockets would love to have Harden in Houston as he elevates the team's overall ceiling and would give the team a chance to compete for the play-in and return to the postseason. However, it is far from a done deal, and the Rockets are preparing for life with and without Harden.
"The team would want a Hall of Famer. It’s promising, but we’re not just banking on that," Smith said. "We’re still focused on us and how we can improve as a team."
So, whether or not Harden comes back home, the Rockets are ready. But it's safe to say that Houston prefers to have the second-best player in franchise history back where he belongs.
You can follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.
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