James Harden apparently is determined to make his way out of Houston.
It was reported Monday night that Harden rejected a record-breaking contract extension offer from the Rockets. The reported two-year, $103 million offer would have made the eight-time All-Star the first player in NBA history to make $50 million annually.
Harden's rejection, according to reports, was due to his fierce desire to join the Nets. It's easy to understand why Harden might want to take his talents to Brooklyn, but still, that's a whole lot of money to turn down.
Even a fellow star in the league had a tough time wrapping his head around Harden's decision.
Recent history has seen top players have their trade wishes granted, so it wouldn't be at all surprising if Harden ends up in Brooklyn. That said, the Nets don't really have the means to put together a satisfactory trade package, and the Rockets obviously aren't going to move on from Harden without reeling in a significant return.
And considering what the New Orleans Pelicans just acquired in exchange for Jrue Holiday, we can't imagine what it would take for the Rockets to trade Harden.
