James Harden had THREATENED a trade last year had Rockets failed to sign Westbrook

It is no secret that James Harden wants out of Houston. The 31-year-old has demanded a trade away from the Rockets in a bid to win the NBA championship, as he enters the later years of his career. The Beard has been the face of the franchise since his trade in 2012 and has had a major influence on how the Rockets have operated over the years. 

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James Harden threatened to leave Rockets last year if Russell Westbrook trade fell through 

According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, the Houston Rockets were forced into the Russell Westbrook trade after James Harden threatened to leave if the move did not happen. Harden and Westbrook were teammates at the Oklahoma City Thunder before The Beard's move to Houston. The Rockets have given preferential treatment to Harden over the years, jumped on the opportunity and paid a steep price, trading Chris Paul, 2024 and 2026 first-round picks, and swap rights in 2021 and 2025. 

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However, the trade did not work out well for both parties, as Russell Westbrook struggled to make an influence during the playoffs. MacMahon also notes that Westbrook became frustrated during the season which eventually led to his trade this offseason. The report stated that 'sources said Westbrook frequently expressed his displeasure during the season with not being able to ‘play my game,’ as he put it'. MacMahon reveals that there were questions about the Harden-Westbrook fit when they were pushing to play together again including Mike D’Antoni privately expressing his concerns. 

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James Harden's casual culture further did not sit well with Westbrook, who operated with the discipline of a military unit at Thunder despite enjoying privileges. The 32-year-old did not tolerate tardiness, and with the Rockets, scheduled departure times were treated as mere suggestions by Harden and others. On one such occasion, Harden waited to get his daily COVID-19 testing until just before the Rockets' film session was scheduled to start. When he was not on time, Westbrook wanted the film shooting to start, but D'Antoni explained that they'd just have to start over when Harden arrived, which didn't do much to calm Westbrook.

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The Rockets ended up trading Russell Westbrook just before camp opened, sending him to the Washington Wizards for John Wall, who returned from a two-year injury layoff and a heavily protected future first-round pick, offering an admission that the previous offseason's deal to acquire Westbrook was a disastrous decision. Houston were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs last season. Now, Harden will have to find a way to mesh with Wall if the Rockets want to win a title.

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