Throughout this past NBA season, there were times when it looked like the Houston Rockets were going through some chemistry issues. James Harden was a prolific scorer and demanded the ball at all times. This strategy would butt heads with Chris Paul, who is also known for his ball-handling abilities. The Rockets seemed like a team who could make it to the NBA Finals, although they were quickly bounced out of the second round of the playoffs by the Golden State Warriors.
Once the season came to an end, rumors circulated that James Harden and Chris Paul had a bit of a falling out. There were reports that Paul wanted off the team, despite the team's general manager denying such a request took place. Paul has since been traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Russell Westbrook. Russ used to play with Harden in OKC and it seems like both players are excited to explore that partnership again. While speaking to the media, Harden was asked about his relationship with Paul and according to the former league MVP, everything is fine between them.
“Obviously as teammates, as competitors, we argued on the court," Harden explained. "The negative media stuff, it wasn’t true. ... Me and Chris had constant communication.”
At first, it seemed as though the Thunder were shopping Paul but trade talks have come to a bit of a halt. With this in mind, it's clear that Harden and Paul will become Western Conference rivals this season, although the Rockets will surely have the advantage.