It wasn’t exactly the smoothest ride through the 2020–21 season for James Harden.
The former MVP and current Nets superstar endured perhaps the most tumultuous season of his career last year, with a rocky eight-game stretch in Houston preceding a blockbuster trade to Brooklyn in January. Harden battled a hamstring injury for the latter part of last season, and though he returned in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, his chase for the Larry O’Brien Trophy ended in an overtime heartbreaker against Milwaukee. Entering his age-32 season, Harden is still seeking an elusive first championship.