Shocking James Harden reunion could be in play after Cavs' recent trade

After the Cavaliers traded away Dennis Schroder to the Hornets, they freed up more cap space to sign free agent targets. However, Cleveland has been linked to Denver's Peyton Watson as a sign-and-trade target rather than making progress on re-signing their point guard from last season, James Harden. This could open a chance for the Rockets to reunite with Harden in their own sign-and-trade heist for a reasonable price.

Houston can bring Harden back home

The Rockets have been missing the offensive brilliance of Harden's time ever since he was traded to the Nets in 2021. Harden is clearly past his prime now, but still possesses elite ball skills as a scorer and facilitator. Last season, he averaged about 24 points and 8 assists per game.

Meanwhile, the Rockets desperately lacked anyone with Harden's creation ability to help them in the playoffs or even support Kevin Durant during the regular season. They have Fred VanVleet coming back from injury for next season, but Harden is still the more proven point guard. A swap of the two floor generals could make sense for both teams by increasing the Rockets' ceiling and helping the Cavaliers save cap space to pursue other upgrades.

In order to make the financials work for the Rockets, Harden would need to agree on a deal for $33.6 million or less next season. That seems like a fair price for the 36-year-old heading into year 18. It would also be nice for Harden to have a beloved homecoming after years of bouncing between new teams. And he would get the opportunity to play with Kevin Durant once again; the two were previously teammates in Oklahoma City and Brooklyn too.

The deal could be a worthy risk for the Rockets

Taking a big swing to bring in an aging Harden would be risky maneuver, but the Rockets made plenty of those in Harden's prime too. Back then, it was about trying to build a contender around Harden as a perennial MVP candidate. Now it's about maximizing a title window around a superstar on his last legs in Kevin Durant.

It's ironic that Harden could be the best solution to the Rockets' long-standing problem, but it also makes sense for both sides. In Houston, Harden could run his usual game with plenty of isolations and pick-and-rolls without hurting the team's overall efficiency. Since the Rockets don't have the most offensively adept roster, bringing in someone who can make something out of nothing is a positive.

And the Rockets have more than enough size and athleticism to hide Harden on defense. Houston might not have as many corner 3 specialists as they did during Harden's previous stint, but they're still a team built well to add him. And even giving up their own first-round pick next season wouldn't be too painful, since they also have two more firsts coming in from the Nets and Suns.

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