The Houston Rockets released their player portraits wearing the new jerseys on Content Day at the Toyota Center on Tuesday. Three of the team's most eye-catching new members, John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Christian Wood were carrying No. 1, No. 15 and No. 35, like they have during their career.

However, James Harden, the best player on the Rockets, the team's core playmaker, was not there. He was quarantined after attending a friend's birthday party in a nightclub in Atlanta on December 3. He was also spotted partying in Las Vegas on the weekend. He missed the Rockets' training camp, by the way.

According to ESPN, Harden must have six consecutive negative COVID-19 tests before the NBA will clear him for practice with the Rockets.

It's rarely news that Harden is spotted in a nightclub, but the timing was a bit sensitive this time since he failed to leave the Rockets after requesting the team to trade him.

Both him and Russell Westbrook asked the Rockets to let them go with Harden having a specific destination in mind: the Brooklyn Nets. In the end, Westbrook was sent to the Washington Wizards in change for Wall, but Harden stayed because the Rockets understandably charged too much for anyone interested.

According to ESPN, Harden indicated to the Rockets that he's also open to being sent to other champion candidates like the Philadelphia 76ers.

In fact, Harden himself has remained silent like he has during most of his career. Although he hasn't lacked disputes in his career: There have been countless reports about him refusing to extend his contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2012, about him not liking coach Kevin McHale and Dwight Howard and driving them away, and about him having problems with Chris Paul and Westbrook.

But again, it was all others talking, Harden himself has been quiet all the time.

Nonetheless, you can tell that something is different this time. Everything Harden has done recently seems to be sending the Rockets a message: He wants to leave.

It's not easy. Harden's salary is $41.25 million and he wants to go to a competitive team. There are only a few qualified destinations and all of them have very limited salary space to operate, not to mention that they won't tear the working lineup they have to give what the Rockets want in exchange for Harden.

However, it's also true that Harden is confused about his future in the Rockets. The team went through dramatic changes of personnel in the past two months and have a new general manager and a new head coach, both rookies in their positions. The Rockets also abandoned the small-ball style they had been sticking to for five years. Meanwhile, their trade involving sending Westbrook away and collecting future first-round draft picks are all signs of rebuilding. Harden is 31 years old and he does not have much time left if he still wants to wing a championship as team leader.

In fact, the Rockets saw this before 29 years ago with their greatest player in franchise history, Hakeem Olajuwon.

Ever since he beat Michael Jordan to become the No. 1 selection to join the NBA in 1984, Olajuwon never missed the playoffs or the All-Star Weekend in his first five seasons. He even led the Rockets to the NBA Finals in 1986.

However, things began to get tricky since 1990. First Olajuwon missed the All-Star because of an eye injury in 1991. Then in March 1992, he rested for several games because of an injured left hamstring.

Then the Rockets' team physician cleared him for the floor but Olajuwon refused, claiming he had not recovered yet. The two sides insisted on their own story. Soon, the Rockets decided to suspend Olajuwon by three games.

That did not make the situation any better. On the contrary, Olajuwon fired at the Rockets' front office, especially General Manager Steve Patterson and Owner Charlie Thomas while the Rockets accused Olajuwon of faking the injury as a negotiation ploy to earn a bigger deal.

A week later, Olajuwon said he was ready to play but also requested the Rockets to trade him. "I'm not coming back for them (management). It's for my teammates and the fans, but I would not like to play for the Rockets next season. It's so obvious after all that's happened. Would you like to work for a management like that, that say all these things? It's better for everybody to pack at the end of the season," he said.

The Rockets ended the 1991-92 season with a 42-40 record, ranking No. 9 in the Western Conference. They missed the playoffs. By the way, No. 8 were the Los Angeles Lakers and their record was 43-39. Besides, the Rockets lost all the three games Olajuwon was banned from.

The good news for the team was that Olajuwon stayed. He played all 82 games next season, averaging 26.1 points, 13.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.8 steals and 4.2 blocks. With a 55-27 record, the Rockets made the Western Semifinals and lost to the Seattle SuperSonics in seven games.

In March, 1993, Olajuwon resigned a four-year, $30-million contract with the Rockets. Four months later, Thomas sold the team to Leslie Alexander at $85 million. In the following two seasons, Olajuwon beat Shaquille O'Neal, David Robinson and Patrick Ewing, the other three of the Top 4 centers in the 1990s, and won the only two NBA Championships in franchise history.

The Rockets want to see the same scenario happen on Harden but does Harden see it the same way?