James Harden says he's 'forever indebted' to Houston in farewell message

Harden was traded from the Rockets to the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday as part of a four-team trade that also included the Indiana Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers. The deal reunites Harden with Kevin Durant, whom he played with in Oklahoma City, and pairs him with Kyrie Irving as the Nets look to build a title contender in the Eastern Conference. 

In his final weeks in Houston, Harden essentially quit on the franchise, scoring less than 20 points in each of his last four games. In eight games this season, the 31-year-old is averaging 24.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 10.4 assists per game while shooting 44.4% from the field and 34.7% from deep. 

For comparison, Harden hasn't averaged under 25 points per game since the 2011-12 campaign, his third year in the NBA and final season with the Thunder. 

The Rockets held Harden out of practice on Wednesday following the comments he made after a 117-100 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. The 31-year-old said the Rockets "can't be fixed" and that the club is "not even close" to being a contender in the Western Conference. 

The Nets are scheduled to play again on Saturday against the Orlando Magic. They could have Harden, Irving and Durant available for that game if Irving returns from his mandatory quarantine following an extended absence from the franchise that resulted in a $50,000 fine for violating health and safety protocols.