Earlier Wednesday, an ESPN report indicated that the commitment by All-Star guards and former MVPs James Harden and Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets could be wavering.
For now, though, the team appears set to stay the course.
In a conversation on ESPN’s The Jump, veteran NBA insider Zach Lowe said this of the current situation between the Rockets and their stars:
From what I’ve heard today, the Rockets are trying to remain calm. There’s nothing imminent. They think they can repair whatever needs to be repaired, and enter next season with both of these guys on the team, and hopefully get off to a strong start.
But I’ve got news for them. The ball’s not in their court. The ball is in James Harden’s court, more than anyone else’s. The moment he walks in there and says ‘Hey, we gave it a shot, I’ve had enough,’ is the moment the whole situation blows up. We haven’t reached that point yet.
It’s been a turbulent offseason for the Rockets, with established GM Daryl Morey and head coach Mike D’Antoni choosing to head elsewhere. They were replaced by Rafael Stone and Stephen Silas, respectively, with each lacking prior experience as the full-time guy in his new role.
Combine that instability at key organizational positions with the reality that Harden and Westbrook are each 31 years old and still seeking their first NBA title, and it’s quite understandable if they have concerns.
Nonetheless, with both players under contract until at least 2022, there’s no need for the Rockets to do anything drastic in 2020 — unless it’s a trade proposal with overwhelming value. As it is, the likely course is to try and make another run with the current core group, with larger discussions and evaluations tabled until after the 2020-21 season.
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