In a not-so-surprising turn of events, Houston Rockets decided to trade Chris Paul to Oklahoma City Thunder this summer. The trade not only landed him an All-Star in Russell Westbrook, but also cleared the air in the locker room due to a reported feud between Rockets’ superstar James Harden and Chris Paul.
According to reports from ESPN and Sports Illustrated among other outlets, Harden and Paul’s relationship took a wrong turn after the Rockets were eliminated by the Golden State Warriors in the second round of the playoffs. The friction between the two teammates was so severe that Harden reportedly didn’t want to answer Paul’s calls after the season ended.
But, even if there was a problem between the two, Harden won’t admit it. The 2018 NBA MVP talked with reporters on Saturday and denied that he had any trouble with Paul.
“It was a lot of false talk,”- said Harden. “Obviously as team-mates, as competitors we argue on the court. You have your disagreements on the court. Your arguments on the court. But that’s just part of basketball. Everybody has that. No matter what level of basketball you’re in.”
“All the negative media stuff and all the stuff that was running, it wasn’t true.” – he added. “Me and Chris had constant communication and you know, we’re good.”
With Chris Paul out of town, James Harden will now team up with Westbrook, with whom he already played early in his career. Harden and Westbrook hope to be a formidable duo that could make a run for the NBA Championship this season, especially with no clear favorite following the end of Warriors’ dynasty.
“I’m excited for this opportunity,” – Harden shared. “It’s a new chapter, but I know he’s [Westbrook] excited.”
