Getty Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers walks off of the court during a timeout during the second half against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on October 18, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts.
The slow start for the Philadelphia 76ers has already drawn a flurry of overreactions across the national and local media. Losing their first three games, including at the hands of rebuilding Spurs, is a reason for concern in itself. However, the matter at which the team was picking up these losses especially raises red flags. The offense had looked stagnant, the defense was ineffective, and the Sixers struggled to find their identity as a team. Outside of James Harden’s stellar start to the year, several concerns need to be addressed, and one media personality suggested that larger moves could be on the horizon.
During his latest episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, Simmons suggested that Embiid’s commitment to the Sixers may not be as firm as it once was. As he stated:
“Harden looks really good. But at the same time, they’ve kinda reassembled the 2019 Rockets. Maxey is not delighted about it, Embiid is not happy…I would watch the Embiid thing. Because you have the Knicks sitting there. They are run by Leon (Rose) and Wes (William Wesley) who, you know, were Embiid’s guys when they were agents. They didn’t make the (Donovan) Mitchell trade, they have this war chest of stuff, and I guarantee they are throwing charcoal on the fire saying ‘Man Joel what’s going on? Why is this Harden’s team now?’ There is no way if they feel Embiid is remotely unhappy that they are not going to pour as much gasoline on that fire as they can.”
After discussing this for a few minutes, Simmons ended by stating– “I promise you Joel Embiid did not want to be on the 2019 Rockets…I’m just saying it doesn’t feel like Embiid’s team, it feels like Harden’s team and we know how basketball works.”
Sixers Becoming Harden’s Team?
While the level of commitment is a separate conversation, there is some weight to the argument of the Sixers making Harden a larger focal point of the team this season. The former MVP was not in optimal shape last year and was bothered by his lingering hamstring issues throughout the 21 regular season games and postseason run.
It is still early to be making too extreme of declarations, but there is a noticeable improvement in the burst in his step and ability to create separation. Through four games, Harden has averaged 26.8 points, 9.8 assists, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game. He has made a noticeable effort to add the mid-range to his game and has the looks of a true three-level scorer which has not been the case for the bulk of his career.
James Harden last night in the @sixers W:
29 PTS
9 REB
11 AST
2 STL
🔥 #KiaTipOff22
While the Embiid and Harden pick-and-roll has been lethal during their brief time together, the lack of two-man action has been a concern. So much of the Sixers’ offense has been isolation based with Harden and Embiid taking turns creating their own shots. They took some strides toward more team play in their first victory over the Pacers, but there has been much more time spent standing around watching Harden than was the case last year. It is difficult to be critical of this considering the elite level Harden is playing at, but a notable takeaway nonetheless.
Embiid’s Outlook:
To Simmons’ credit, the body language and expression of Embiid have not been stellar to start the year. The big man has struggled to get up and down the court and has not brought his usual two-way impact to the court. Embiid has attributed this to his lack of fitness as he was unable to do any basketball activities for the two months leading up to the season due to battling plantar fasciitis.
66 Points over his past 64 Minutes …
Joel Embiid is starting to find that groove again.
The superstar also downplayed any frustrations he has felt to this point. When asked about Harden following the Sixers’ first win over the Pacers, Embiid stated, “He’s [James Harden] been doing great. I’m happy for him. And we’re going to need it. We’re going to need it for him to be confident and really feel himself. And he’s been doing it. So, now we’ve just got to get everybody playing at the same level so we can win games. But he’s been great to see. He’s been playing at a high level and I know he’s been working so hard to be at this point. So, I’m happy for him,” per Mike Greger of Heavy Sports.
It also is worth noting that Simmons, who is the founder of The Ringer, is well-documented for being a Celtics fan. This is not to say he is not calling it as he sees it, but there could be some Boston-shaded lenses that he is viewing the situation through. As Simmons alluded to in his initial quote, Knicks Head of Basketball Operations Leon Rose was previously Embiid’s agent at CAA so there is a relationship there.
It also is tough to believe Harden’s strong play would be the final straw that pushed Embiid away from the organization. Embiid has been through two coaches, six different general managers, and over 100 different teammates during his time with the Sixers. He has seen co-stars sit out, multiple disappointing free-agency signings, and the superstar has served as a figurehead of stability within the Sixers organization during this era. Embiid has shown every indication of buying into the Dame Lillard school of thought of wanting to win with the team that drafted him. He has embraced Philadelphia as much as any player in the city’s history and until there is clearer evidence of his unhappiness Embiid should be counted on to be all-in.
While many of the new addition did overlap with Harden in Houston, Daryl Morey has done an excellent job building the deepest roster of the Embiid era. Players like De’Anthony Melton, Danuel House Jr., and P.J. Tucker each provide the toughness and spark that the team lacked. This is likely the most complete team built around the reigning MVP runner-up and it would be surprising if Embiid did not want to see this through.