A disaster like never before, the Los Angeles Clippers are struggling to find their footing. Seems the basketball gods are having a good laugh. James Harden and Kawhi Leonard are failing, and so is the rest of the team. Thus, the NBA community is curious to know if crucial trades are up their alley. And if yes, then maybe the Houston Rockets should call dibs.

Ex-NBA champion Jeff Teague said that the Houston Rockets need to trade for James Harden. On the Club 520 podcast, he said, “I need you to trade for James. And tell James you want him to play like he was in Brooklyn. Be the point guard.”

For Houston, defense is not the headline here, and that is the point. Teague sees head coach Ime Udoka as someone who squeezes effort from everyone, even stars. Therefore, Harden would feel pushed, focused, and accountable. The roster without a proper point guard has flaws, sure, yet the guidance matters more.

At the same time, the Rockets and Udoka are no strangers to James Harden. He was the face of the franchise for nine seasons (2012-2021). His 2018 MVP season was with the Rockets, where he averaged 36.1 ppg. That’s not all. Harden would reunite with his former teammate, Kevin Durant, and fill the point guard void Houston is currently lacking.

Suddenly, the doors seem wide open in the West. Pair the Beard with KD’s elite scoring flow, then add hungry youth like Alperen Sengun. Therefore, Teague also added, “I think they got a team that’s capable of making a real run in the playoffs.” He said, ” So I think James obviously he’s still playing at a high level right now, but I think he’d be motivated.”

Now, the true action would unfold once the Clippers clarify the trade availability of the team’s stars. Could James Harden‘s name appear in the trade market ahead of the February deadline? Most importantly, will the Clippers let him go?

Franchises hope to see James Harden in the trade discussions

The veteran NBA insider, Marc Stein, reported that the Clippers keep dismissing trade chatter around Harden, yet rival teams stay alert. He informed that franchises across the league are “expecting James Harden” to be in the trade conversation before the window shuts down on February 5, 2026.

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“One veteran executive read my recent item about James Harden’s potential availability between now and the Feb. 5 deadline,” Stein informed. “And said his front office, to name at least one, indeed projects the NBA’s last American-born MVP (from the 2017-18 season) to wind up in trade play at some point this winter.”

Still, Harden controls any move through veto rights. Meanwhile, he shines in LA’s 7-21 lackluster start, posting 25.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 8.2 assists in 26 games, shooting 43.3 percent overall, 37.3 percent from deep, and 88.3 percent at the line. He has played 26 of 28 games, is a 2025 2026 free agent, and signed a two-year $81,500,000 deal with $52,500,000 guaranteed. His average salary sits at $40,750,000, with a 2025 26 base salary, cap hit, and dead cap value of $39,182,693.

Looks like chaos loves the LA Clippers right now, and the league feels it. Meanwhile, Houston hears the noise growing louder, and Jeff Teague sees a reunion fueled by purpose, trust, and urgency. Therefore, the West suddenly feels reachable. James Harden needs to be in control of his future as February inches closer and curiosity swells. One call could flip timelines and revive beliefs for what awaits ahead.