Getty James Harden and assistant coach Sam Cassell.
One of the underlying narratives following the Philadelphia 76ers around during this year’s playoffs revolves around James Harden‘s future with the team. Likely to opt out of his team-friendly option for next season, Harden will likely hit free agency looking for the last mega-contract of his star-studded career.
And one team that simply won’t go away is the Houston Rockets. On Thursday, Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle reported that the Rockets received permission to interview Sixers lead assistant Sam Cassell for the team’s open head coaching gig.
“The Rockets on Thursday received permission to interview 76ers assistant coach Sam Cassell, one of the stars of their 1994 and 1995 championship teams, a person with knowledge of the process said,” Feigen wrote.
“The Rockets are working to schedule an interview with Cassell while in the midst of other interviews and while the Sixers are in the playoffs. The Rockets began a coaching search on Monday after the team announced it would not pick up its option on a fourth season of Stephen Silas’ contract.”
Feigen’s report comes amidst another that suggests that many of the Rockets’ summer plans — especially that of its next head coaching hire — revolve around trying to lure Harden back to Space City.
If a recent report by Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports is to be believed, there’s no coincidence between the Rockets seeking to interview Cassell and the team’s interest in Harden.
“Harden has loomed as a key target for the Rockets, sources told Yahoo Sports, with an opportunity to decline his player option with the Philadelphia 76ers for the 2023-24 campaign,” Fischer wrote. “And several potential coaching candidates — in addition to (Nick) Nurse — whom league personnel have connected to the Rockets have a shared history with Harden.”
Add Casell to that list of names.
In fairness, there are legitimate reasons why the Rockets might want Cassell that don’t involve Harden. For instance, Cassell has primarily overseen the development of a late-first-round pick Tyrese Maxey into one of the league’s most lethal shooting threats.
The Rockets could use that developmental hand for its slew of uber-talented youngsters in Jabari Smith, Jr., Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, and Kevin Porter, Jr. whom Stephen Silas largely failed to develop. And Cassell, as Feigen mentioned, was a key player in the Rockets going from Choke City to Clutch City in the mid-1990s.
Further, this isn’t Cassell’s first trip on the head coach carousel. Last season, the Utah Jazz interviewed Cassell for its open spot before hiring Boston Celtics assistant Will Hardy. And earlier this year, Temple University was interested in bringing Cassell in as the team’s head coach, which Cassell ultimately declined.
James Harden’s ‘Heart’ Belongs with Houston
As the cliché goes, it takes two to tango. In order for the Rockets to land Harden, the player would need to be interested in a move there. And for much of the season, the smoke around Harden’s interest in returning to Houston has become a full-on blaze.
On Christmas Day, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported Harden’s interest in a Rockets reunion.
“From an emotional standpoint, sources with knowledge of his thinking continue to maintain that while Harden’s head and focus are on winning a championship with the 76ers, his heart will always be in Houston. It’s a comfort zone, his safe space,” The Athletic reported in March.
For now, Harden will have to stay focused on the Nets, the Sixers’ first-round playoff matchup.