James Harden Had Interest In A Reunion With A Former Team But Was Turned Down

The 2026 NBA trade deadline was once again a wild time, and while the biggest star potentially available wasn't dealt, there were numerous trades that could shake up the entire league heading into the 2026 NBA Playoffs. One of the moves that started it all was James Harden being dealt to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a move that saw the Los Angeles Clippers land Darius Garland and a second-round draft pick.

This isn't the first time Harden has been traded in his career, and with the Clippers seemingly giving up on their core, it was a good move to deal Harden for a younger point guard moving forward. However, it appears as though this wasn't the ideal landing spot for Harden, as he reportedly expressed interest in a reunion with one of his former teams.

According to Ramona Shelburne, Harden expressed interest in being dealt to the Houston Rockets to reunite with star forward Kevin Durant, but the team showed little desire to make that happen. Given the big weakness of this team is their lack of a pass-first, unselfish point guard that can also score when needed, it's unclear exactly why they didn't want to bring him back, as it seemingly would have been the perfect fit for both parties.

Ultimately, this turned out to be a massive decision for the Rockets, as they failed to make a major upgrade at the deadline, and their loss is seemingly now the Cavaliers gain, as they believe they can make a genuine run in the East this season.