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As James Harden prepares to face his former team for the first time since his trade to the Brooklyn Nets, the superstar guard reflected on his eight-year tenure with the Houston Rockets and said that when he enters Toyota Center in Houston Wednesday night (7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN), he hopes to be “received with love.”
“The love and appreciation that I have given to this city and still give to this city, I hope the favor can be returned,” Harden told ESPN in a high-profile interview.
There were months of tension that led to the four-team deal on January 13 that sent Harden to Brooklyn, his favorite destination.
In July, Harden rejected an offer to extend the Rockets’ two-year contract for $ 103 million, making it clear that he felt the franchise’s window to compete for a championship was closed. Houston’s front office hoped to mend the relationship and convince Harden that the Rockets could still be competitive, but Harden never wavered, reiterating his desire for an exit. As the Rockets kicked off training camp, photos of Harden partying in Atlanta and Houston surfaced on social media.
“I thought I would never leave this franchise,” Harden said. “I thought I was going to be in Houston, obviously, for the rest of my career. Things have happened. I have different goals, and I saw a different vision for myself, my career and my career. family.”
He continued, “Like I said, it doesn’t change how I feel about the city. But it just didn’t go as well – as well – as I expected. communication between me and the front office has become a bit unstable, and now I look back and see these other scenarios, other situations that are happening, especially around other players who are in Houston, in different sports. And their transition is going very well. I was hoping mine would go as well, but it’s not. I’m where I am now. “
Harden added that he was “very, very happy and excited” with the direction the Nets have taken since his arrival, and reiterated that he wishes the Rockets franchise the best.
Ultimately, the Rockets plan to retire James Harden’s No.13 jersey. Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta told the Houston Chronicle: “James Harden will always be a Rocket.”
Now, Harden is returning to Houston in the wake of the city – and its surroundings – devastated by a winter storm that left millions of people without power or heat as temperatures plummeted. The storm caused some families to be left without food and others to flee to emergency shelters.
Harden said he is on the phone every day helping Houston residents. Thanks to his new restaurant, “Thirteen”, he sent 3,000 meals to Houstonians. Harden said he shipped cases of water to the city and worked with plumbers to help those whose pipes froze and burst.
“I feel like I’m part of the community,” said Harden. “Me who am now in Brooklyn, it hasn’t changed how I feel about this city and all that it is done for me. So whether it’s trying to feed as many people as possible, get water, as much water as possible for the people who need it. “
Since arriving in Brooklyn, Harden has thrived, averaging 25.1 points, 8.4 rebounds and 11.1 assists for the Nets. Harden has played 21 total games for Brooklyn and finished with a triple-double in seven of them. Only Jason Kidd has had more in a single season in Nets history.
Still, the Nets’ Big Three of Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving have only played seven games together.
“I’m just excited for us as a whole to be able to play as many games as possible together because the potential that we have is very, very scary,” said Harden. “We always do whatever it takes to win. … The potential will be more frightening when [Durant] come back. But for the moment, we are maintaining it and we are coming together as a team. “
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