NBA Rumors – James Harden to Phoenix Suns?

It's a bit early to look at what could happen next summer, but when it concerns the best bench player in the NBA and one of the top young players, it quickly becomes big news.

James Harden of Oklahoma City is in London playing for Team USA, but talks have already begun on where he could play in 2013. The Thunder already have two star players making big money, but Harden and Serge Ibaka are free agents after this season and it's likely that OKC won't have the salary cap space to keep both players.

The Arizona Republic reported that Harden would like to play for the Phoenix Suns as he played his college ball at Arizona State and his mother still lives in the area, making it a big possibility that the third overall pick from the 2009 draft could play elsewhere after this year is over.

Harden has made big improvements in each year in the NBA and this past season, the shooting guard averaged nearly 17 points and four rebounds coming off the bench for the Thunder. A move to Phoenix would likely land the soon-to-be 23-year-old in the starting lineup for the Suns, but all this is just speculation and nothing will happen until the upcoming basketball season is finished.

The Suns do need to rebuild and the front office has made some good signings this summer, but landing a player the caliber of Harden next year would give the team and their fans plenty to cheer about and make the team a playoff contender.

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