Former NBA MVP James Harden requested a trade from the Houston Rockets prior to the start of the season, but the Rockets hoped getting him on the court would buy them more time to find the right trade deal.

However, after Tuesday night's drubbing by the Lakers, Harden looked despondent as he addressed the media. Before leaving the podium, Harden expressed his love for the city of Houston but noted the situation with the Rockets organization can't be fixed. 

Despite Harden's desire to leave Houston, there aren't many favorable trades on the table for the Rockets to get an adequate return. But Harden's address to the media could speed things up as the Rockets may be more desperate to make a deal now than they were at the start of the season. 

Source: instagram.com