DISAPPOINTED Joel Embiid breaks silence about James Harden’s trade request to exit 76ers

Joel Embiid describes his emotions about James Harden requesting a trade.

DISAPPOINTED Joel Embiid breaks silence about James Harden’s trade request to exit 76ers

Joel Embiid (L- AP) and James Harden (R- ESPN)

During this year’s off-season, James Harden‘s trade demand sent shockwaves as he exercised his $35.6 million player option on June 29 and expressed his desire to be traded away from the Philadelphia 76ers. Reports indicate that the 76ers, seemingly uncertain about Harden’s long-term fit, opted not to offer him the coveted max extension he was seeking.

In a recent interview with Rachel Nichols during NBA Summer League, Joel Embiid was questioned about his perspective on the situation, to which he conveyed his disappointment while also acknowledging James Harden’s standpoint.

YouTube video

“Disappointed, but then again I also understand it’s a business,” Embiid said. “People make decisions and I’m more appreciative of the way he’s handled the situation. We going to be boys forever, want him to come back, obviously, so we can go out and accomplish what we want, which is to win a championship, so hopefully his mindset can be changed.

FS Video

Embiid expressed his happiness in being James Harden’s friend, emphasizing the closeness and personal growth they have experienced since Harden joined the team. He expressed excitement about continuing their friendship for the long term, foreseeing it lasting throughout their lives.

“But other than that, I’m just so happy to be his friend. We’re close and we’ve grown since he got here, and that’s what I’m excited about and I’m excited to keep that friendship for the rest of our lives,” he added.


Following a commendable regular season performance with a 54-28 record, the Philadelphia 76ers secured the 3rd seed in the Eastern Conference, trailing behind the Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics. Despite their strong regular season showing, the team faced disappointment in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, marking the third time in four seasons that they fell short at that stage.

Notably, the 76ers haven’t reached the Eastern Conference Finals since the 2000-01 season. With the impending trade of James Harden, it will be intriguing to observe the path the 76ers choose to pursue as they navigate the post-Harden era and strive for further success.

Also Read: Alexander Volkanovski and Jamal Murray: How did UFC great become friends with NBA champion?

Should the Sixers still continue “The Process” with Joel Embiid as their cornerstone?

Joel Embiid (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

Following another disappointing postseason run, where the Philadelphia 76ers squandered a 3-2 lead and lost Game 6 at home to the Boston Celtics before being convincingly defeated in Game 7, the future of “The Process” comes into question.

In 2013, Jrue Holiday served as the face of the Philadelphia 76ers. However, in a departure from the approach taken by other teams, the 76ers opted to trade Holiday, signaling the beginning of “The Process.” This strategy aimed for long-term success by intentionally tanking and acquiring young players through the draft lottery.

With the intention of cultivating a winning culture, the Philadelphia 76ers selected promising prospects like Joel Embiid, Markelle Fultz, and Ben Simmons through the draft. Despite the initial hopes, the desired outcomes did not materialize in favor of the Sixers.

Among the drafted players, Markelle Fultz faced difficulties with his shot due to a shoulder injury, while Ben Simmons struggled with a loss of confidence and battled back injuries. On the other hand, Joel Embiid emerged as the cornerstone player around whom the team could build. Despite acquiring Jimmy Butler for a brief period, the 76ers ultimately chose to give Tobias Harris a max contract instead.

Following the arrival of Daryl Morey as the general manager, the team made a significant move by trading Simmons for Harden, but even with numerous roster changes and trades, they have yet to progress beyond the second round during “The Process.”

The future course of action for the Philadelphia 76ers is indeed intriguing, considering their lack of playoff success during “The Process.” One possibility is whether they will persist with the ongoing strategy or opt to start anew by trading Joel Embiid. Given his injury-prone nature and the historical trend of big men experiencing a decline in performance after their early 30s, there may be concerns about Embiid’s longevity as an MVP-caliber player.

In Case You Missed: