For a long time, James Harden leading the Houston Rockets into the NBA postseason was as certain as death and taxes. By 2022 however, nothing is certain about Harden beyond his facial hair remaining intact.

When he demanded a trade from Space City, he seemed intent on landing in either Brooklyn, Philadelphia, or Miami. Few would have predicted that a year later, he’d have already been rostered by two of those three squads.

Heading into this summer, Harden has a player option. Most are assuming he’ll pick it up and play for the Philadelphia 76ers again. It begs a question:

Why are we still making assumptions about Harden?

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: NBA Executive Doesn’t Hold Back About James Harden’s Decline

After all, these Sixers fizzled out in the second round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs. With Harden’s focus appearing to be singularly on winning his first championship, who knows where he might end up?

Here are three ideal offseason destinations for the former MVP.