James Harden was all smiles at Team USA’s practices this week, despite a busy summer for the Houston Rockets. (John Locher/Associated Press)Much has been made of the course the Houston Rockets have plotted this summer. Yes, Chris Paul and Clint Capela were re-signed, as Houston locked up its top two free agents to long-term deals. But when the question of whether Houston has taken a step back was posed to James Harden, the NBA’s reigning most valuable player, he didn’t hesitate: Absolutely not. “We did lose two dynamic guys that are really good defenders for us [Ariza and Mbah a Moute], really versatile guys.

Source: Washington Post August 01, 2018 10:52 UTC