James Harden – Houston Rockets
Of course, James Harden has to be on this list because, whether you like him or not, he is one of the best players in the NBA and has made it known he is unhappy in Houston. After their early exit in the playoffs once again and after the Rockets organization moved on from GM Daryl Morey and head coach Mike D’Antoni, Harden seemed to have enough and both him and fellow All-Star Russell Westbrook requested trades.
Houston was quick to trade Westbrook, as they sent him to Washington for a protected first-round pick and John Wall, but they are not as willing to give up their “prized possession” in James Harden. Not only has Harden won three straight scoring titles, but he is one of the most lethal scorers in NBA history.
Trading him away not only completely ruins this Rockets organization in terms of finances and going into a rebuild, but it could completely change the future for numerous teams who could acquire him. Whatever team James Harden is on is a legit championship contender and if he was to team up with some other All-Star talents, that team could run the table in either conference.
It is likely that James Harden will be traded by the Rockets at some point this season, but then again, you just never know! Houston could make this very complicated and carry Harden all the way into next offseason, but at the end of the day, if he really does not want to play for this organization anymore, they will have to grant him his wish instead of holding him against his will.
A James Harden centered trade would definitely shake things up in the NBA as the Nets, 76ers, Heat, Bucks, Blazers, Celtics and Nuggets are all on James Harden’s “list of teams” he would prefer to play for. The one thing all of these teams have in common are that they are legit playoff and title contenders this season.
If he was to go to any of these teams, they would immediately become one of the favorites to win the championship this season and dethrone the Los Angeles Lakers. Time will tell what is in store for James Harden and his future, but at this point, it seems likely that he will be on the move at some point during the 2020-21 season.
