- James Harden has yet to join the Houston Rockets in the Disney World bubble, and the reason for his absence is unknown.
- Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni had said he expected to have Harden in the middle of the week, but that he had no updated information on Harden’s condition on Tuesday.
- According to a report by The Athletic, Harden is feeling fine, but he can wait to travel to Orlando until Russell Westbrook, who tested positive for COVID-19, passes the tests and is able to travel.
- The Rockets play their first scrimmage on July 24, with their first official game on July 31.
- Visit the Insider home page for more stories.
The NBA’s “bubble” experiment at Disney World is underway, but the Houston Rockets are still missing their franchise star.
As of Tuesday afternoon, James Harden was still not with the Rockets in the bubble. While head coach Mike D’Antoni had told reporters on Sunday that he expected Harden to be with the team mid-week, D’Antoni had no update to provide on Tuesday.
“Do we have an update? Not really. I’m not sure.”
On Monday, Rockets guard Russell Westbrook, who was also not with the team in Orlando, announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19. Westbrook said he was feeling well and in quarantine and hoped to join his team soon.
Similarly, the Rockets’ recently signed forward, Luc Mbah a Moute, was not yet with the team at Disney.
D’Antoni had previously said, “These are things people are dealing with” regarding absences.
James Harden and Russell Westbrook.
Mark J. Rebilas / USA TODAY Sports / Reuters
The Rockets have not yet specified why Harden is not with the team.
On Tuesday, Charania Shams of The Athletic reported that Harden was feeling fine, exercising, and that he could travel to Disney with Westbrook once Westbrook passes the coronavirus test.
“Everyone around the Rockets is optimistic that they will be able to get Westbrook and Harden to Orlando sooner rather than later,” Charania said.
Harden’s arrival is unclear, and although Westbrook said he felt fine, the severity or length of his case is unknown. Westbrook could pass a COVID-19 test soon, or it could take weeks. Presumably, Harden wouldn’t wait to travel with Westbrook if Westbrook had trouble passing the coronavirus test.
The Rockets officially resumed their season on Friday, July 31 against the Dallas Mavericks. However, all 22 teams in the bubble start scrimmages on July 22, their first NBA action in more than four months. The Rockets’ first scrimmage is July 24.
Time is short, although of course the health of the players is more important than basketball.
“They will arrive as soon as the protocols are removed,” D’Antoni told reporters on Tuesday. “They are eager to be here. They are doing what they have to do to stay fit. This is not going to slow us down. We are not going to let that set us back. We will be ready to shoot here in the next two to three weeks.”
