体坛英语新闻：Rockets have James Harden as "foundational" player for returning to title contention

HOUSTON, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- Rockets general manager Daryl Morey on Monday called the team's newcomer James Harden a "foundational" player for the team's ultimate goal of returning to title contention.

Harden, who won the Sixth Man Award last season for Oklahoma City, joined the Houston Rockets in a stunning trade with Oklahoma City on Saturday night.

"People around the league say, 'I want to play with that guy,'" Morey said when introducing Harden to Rockets fans Monday. "James Harden is a player we can build around, and continue to improve the team around his skills."

"He's an elite offensive player, a complete player. He can pass, shoot, attack the basket. Even though he's a gold medalist, an Olympian and made the Finals, I still think he's an underrated player. He's absolutely someone who, when they see him step into the role of a star for the Houston Rockets, people are going to realize just how good he is," said Morey.

"I'm excited to be here," Harden said. "The organization has done a great job, and they've made me feel welcome. I think we have something special here. We're young, but those guys want to work and get better."

"It's a new journey for me," Harden said. "It's a new growth for me, to do something special, being one of the focal points of this offense. It's a great opportunity."

Morey also said the Rockets are in position to add more.

"Now we need to add another significant player, or have one of our current players develop into an All-Star-caliber player," Morey said. "You probably need two to really be a championship contender. We're not there yet, but we've got multiple young players who can take that step forward."