NBA Rumors: James Harden Says He’s Focused On Being With Houston Rockets

Following what could be characterized as a brief holdout, embattled Houston Rockets star James Harden officially reported to training camp on December 8 — two days after his team had already begun practicing. Now, one week later, he says he’s focused on being where he currently is, in spite of his reported trade request.

“Right now, I’m just focused on being here,” he said the day after making his preseason debut.

The former NBA MVP and three-time league scoring champion made the declaration during his first media appearance ahead of the 2020-21 season on Wednesday, as relayed by ESPN‘s Tim McMahon. However, when pressed for details on the motivation for his delayed arrival, Harden failed to provide an answer that satisfied the media member asking the question.

“I was just training,” he said.

When asked what exactly he was training for, the 31-year-old deadpanned, “the start of the NBA season,” while claiming to have worked out with his personal trainers.

At that time in question, Harden’s teammates had already coalesced with coaches and staff in preparation for the 2020-21 campaign, which tips off for Houston on Saturday, December 23, with a home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Previously, Harden had traveled to Atlanta to attend the birthday party of “The Bigger Picture” rapper Lil Baby. Later, he traveled to Las Vegas where he was seen socializing at night clubs during a period where players were required to self-quarantine and avoid non-essential activities while participating in individual workouts at team facilities. There had been an additional requirement for players to undergo daily coronavirus testing.

As a result, he was unable to participate in the Rockets’ first two preseason contests.

Nevertheless, the only concession Harden made during his media availability was that he was in “catch-up mode” with regard to being in game shape and learning a new system under first-time head coach Stephen Silas. However, he maintained that he “felt really good being out there” for his first game action since his squad’s 2020 playoff run in the league’s Orlando bubble campus came to an end.

Recent reports have alleged that this kind of behavior is nothing new for Harden, with some insiders claiming that he received special treatment from the Rockets even as he engaged in potentially questionable behavior behind the scenes.

Harden has reportedly expressed a desire to join the Brooklyn Nets or Philadelphia 76ers via trade. As noted by The Inquisitr, he is said to have expanded his wish list of teams to include the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat in recent days.