Chris Paul's arrival is expected to transform the Houston Rockets offensively, but former coach Kevin McHale thinks CP3 will also do something most significant - assume the mantle of leadership from James Harden, something for which McHale says Harden was never suited.

"James is not a leader," McHale told NBA TV's Open Court. "He tried being a leader last year, tried doing that stuff. I think Chris Paul is going to help him just kind of get back into just being able to hoop and play and stuff like that."

The Basketball Hall of Famer coached the Rockets from 2011 to 2015, terminated after a 4-7 start to the 2015-16 season. McHale believes teammates simply don't view Harden, the Rockets' leading scorer as an authorative voice.

"On every team, you have to have somebody that when they say something, people listen," McHale said, turning to Charles Barkley. “Look, if James tells you, ‘Chuck, you got to play better D.’ You listening to him? You got to be kidding me. I lived through it, believe me. Everybody in the locker room did this [McHale put his hand on his forehead]. Every time he mentioned defence, everybody would put their head down, like you got to be kidding me.”

Harden, 28, is heading into his sixth season with the Rockets. In 81 games a season ago, the Los Angeles native avaeraged 29.1 points, 11.2 assists and 8.1 rebounds in 36.4 minutes a night.

The Rockets open up their regular season on October 17 against the NBA champion Golden State Warriors in Oakland.