Have the Rockets put an end to James Harden’s unhappiness?

Although James Harden has reportedly been unhappy with the myriad of changes for the Houston Rockets this offseason, the latest news surrounding the franchise should have Harden oozing with excitement.

The Houston Rockets have undergone several changes this offseason, as longtime general manager Daryl Morey bolted from the franchise to take his talents to the Philadelphia 76ers. Morey had become a staple for the Rockets and his relationship with franchise player James Harden was perhaps one of the best in the league between an executive and a player.

The Rockets’ offseason changes didn’t exactly stop there, as Mike D’Antoni opted to leave the franchise prior to Morey’s resignation, against Harden’s wishes. This has caused many around the league to explore trade possibilities for Harden, as it would seem like Harden wouldn’t want to be with the franchise anymore to the naked eye.

On Tuesday, Marc Stein of the New York Post stated that Harden wanted the Rockets to hire either Tyronn Lue or John Lucas as the head coach, which ultimately didn’t happen, as Stephen Silas landed the job. But according to Silas, the Rockets sought Harden’s input before hiring him, as Harden and Russell Westbrook were involved in the interview process, which should cast doubt into the chatter that Harden could be moved.

Silas says he spoke to James Harden and Russell Westbrook during the interview process. "I gave them the vision of how I wanted them to play. And they were all about whatever was best for the team to win."

— Anthony Duckett (@a_duckett) November 5, 2020

The Rockets also gave Harden his wish by bringing Lucas back, albeit in an assistant coach role under Silas. This comes on the heel of the Rockets trading for Russell Westbrook just one year ago, who Harden clamored for, and understandably so, as the two former MVPs are best friends off the court and have been for awhile.

Have the Rockets ended James Harden’s reported unhappiness?

As for Silas, he figures to make life much easier for Harden, as he shared his strategy of how to prevent defenses from loading up on Harden.

Silas explained further: "In half court, allowing them to have the space to do their thing. Having triggers and actions to where defenses can't get set. Because defenses have the tendency to load up on them." https://t.co/YXBaJa0hQH

— Anthony Duckett (@a_duckett) November 5, 2020

Harden became frustrated with the triple teams he received at half court during the 2019-20 season, so he’ll definitely be much happier under Silas, at least in that regard.

Although the Rockets had an offseason of changes that didn’t exactly appeal to Harden initially, he ultimately got what he wanted with the hiring of Silas and Lucas, providing comfort and consistency, while also adding a wrinkle of variety, which should have the 2017-18 MVP oozing with excitement.