For a second time since the start of training camp for the 2020-21 season, Houston Rockets star James Harden was found to have violated the league’s new COVID-19 safety protocols. In both circumstances, videos posted to social media showed Harden at indoor club venues in close proximity to a crowd of people, and without wearing a mask.
While ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported Wednesday that Harden had already contracted COVID-19 in the summer, he’s still required by the league to follow protocols, as a means of limiting potential spread. For the second violation, which occurred earlier this week, Harden was fined $50,000 by the league. The protocols “prohibit attending indoor social gatherings of 15 or more people or entering bars, lounges, clubs, or similar establishments,” the NBA said in its announcement.
But for Harden, a perennial All-Star guard and MVP finalist who recently asked for a trade out of Houston, it doesn’t appear that his recent safety transgressions will undermine his value around the league.
Per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps:
When asked if Harden’s behavior would be a red flag in trading for the former MVP, team executives told ESPN they thought it was selfish and reckless but would not prevent a deal.
New ESPN story: In the wake of the NBA postponing Rockets-Thunder, here's an FAQ on what happened, why the game postponed and what it means for the league moving forward: https://t.co/luPxTwLPAA
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) December 23, 2020
One executive told ESPN that his team had hired a private investigator to do a thorough background check on Harden, which presumably didn’t turn up any red flags. According to Bontemps, the biggest factor complicating a deal is Houston’s lofty asking price:
If a team is comfortable acquiring Harden, the larger challenge would be putting together enough outgoing salary (at least $33 million) to make a trade legal without gutting its existing roster.
Teams are in the early stages of evaluating their rosters and are not willing to make a rash judgment at this time. That could change if the Rockets lower their asking price on Harden, currently reported to be a mix of young players with star potential and significant draft assets.
As is typically the case in the NBA, the on-court value proposition — for both the Rockets, and any Harden suitors — appears likely to dictate if or when a deal ultimately gets to the finish line.
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