Thrilled as the Rockets were when they signed James Harden to a four-year contract extension last summer, they have been happier about it since. So much so, they want to do it again.

The NBA's new collective bargaining agreement with the National Basketball Players' Association includes a provision that grandfathers in players, including Harden, to allow them to be eligible for a "super max" contract extension. The Vertical first reported the provision as part of the new CBA.

In a clear indication of the Rockets' thinking, a person with knowledge of the CBA negotiations said they were the team that initially proposed the rule in the new agreement and then pushed for it throughout the process.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the private nature of collective bargaining negotiations.

Rockets officials would not comment about any part of the CBA, ratified by the NBA board of governors on Wednesday. But one individual, speaking on the condition of anonymity said, "We would probably give him a 100-year extension."

The Rockets could have preferred to wait on a new deal for Harden, since the extension he signed in July keeps him under contract through at least the 2017-18 season.

The Rockets' informal policy is normally to do contractual moves only at the deadline, including decisions with far less long-term ramifications involving player options.

Harden, however, is the exception to that thinking and happy to have the franchise's future in his hands.

"They love me, man. I love them," Harden said. "I love being here. We're going to win a lot. I'm excited to be here. That's one of the reasons I extended this summer.

"Obviously, this year's been great. I've been happy, probably the happiest I've been since I've been in a Rockets uniform. Everybody else is happy."

So happy together

The Rockets previously extended Harden's contract although he was signed through the 2017-18 season on the five year, $78 million deal he got shortly after he was acquired from the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2012. He could have opted out of the last season of that deal next July. With his four-year, $118 million extension, he is signed through the 2018-19 season but could opt out to become an unrestricted free agent in July 2018.

To be eligible for the new "super max" contract and the veteran designated player exception, Harden would have to be an All-NBA player, a status he had after he was MVP runner-up in 2015 but did not achieve last season, even though he achieved career highs in scoring, rebounding and assists. As one of the MVP front-runners this season, he is considered likely to be an All-NBA selection again.

If Harden, 27, and the Rockets agree next summer to the contract extension made possible by the new provision in the CBA, it would begin with the 2019-20 season and run through 2022-23. Such a deal would be worth up to $164 million (an average annual value of $41 million) for those four years, added to the two years and $58.7 million still left on his contract.

Under the previous CBA, players were not permitted to sign contract extensions in consecutive seasons, but the Rockets argued that players such as Harden and Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook should not be punished for agreeing to stay long term with their current teams in the final year of the CBA.

The players association was happy to have the second contract extensions made available, if only to a relatively few members, and the NBA wanted to encourage stars to remain with their teams.

Feeling the love

The Rockets likely would have made the same argument even before their 22-8 start to this season and Harden's successful move to full-time point guard. But with his rapid adjustment to the role and Mike D'Antoni's system, along with the offseason additions of Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson, Harden has exceeded the team's expectations.

"I don't think he's changed that much," D'Antoni said. "He has more opportunity. We give him the ball. He's orchestrating everything, so that would be a little bit of a change. He's adapted and wants to do it, and he's doing a terrific job. He's been incredible.

"He makes plays. That's what he does. He's one of the best pick-and-roll players ever. He's just been, in every category, super. I didn't know he was that good a pick-and-roll guy. I didn't know he was that good a passer.

"I didn't know that he saw the court as well as he does. He just has a sense of things he can do and an ability to control a game that's unique. He's incredible right now."

Rockets owner Leslie Alexander said this week that Harden and Westbrook should be considered the MVP front-runners, with Harden the better choice so far because of the Rockets' better record.

Harden might be accustomed to the kind words. The Rockets' actions in the CBA negotiations spoke even louder.

"It feels good to be loved," he said. "All I have to do is go out and play my game."