Joel Embiid told Showtime’s Rachel Nichols that he hopes former NBA MVP James Harden will be on the Philadelphia 76ers next season.
Harden has opted into his 2023-24 player option with the Sixers and wants to get traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. However, Embiid is staying positive throughout the whole situation.
Harden is extremely upset at the way in which the Sixers handled his possible free agency and has made his dissatisfaction clear to the franchise. The 10-time All-Star was born and raised in Los Angeles. He has a rapport with Clippers stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, who both want Harden in LA, and “The Beard” could help LAC compete for a championship next season if he’s in shape and engaged.
The 33-year-old Harden averaged 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 10.7 assists in 2023-23 while shooting 44.1% from the field, 38.5% from beyond the arc and 86.7% from the free-throw line. The future Hall of Famer led the NBA in assists per game for the second time in his career and helped Embiid win the MVP Award.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Joel Embiid, James Harden & Philadelphia 76ers Updates
The Sixers lost to the Boston Celtics in the 2023 Eastern Conference Semifinals in seven games. Doc Rivers was fired as head coach and replaced by Nick Nurse, who won the 2019 championship with the Toronto Raptors.
Nurse and Harden met in Houston in June and the meeting went well. However, money has gotten in the way between Harden and the Sixers, as Harden wants a max contract and Philadelphia doesn’t want to give him one.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Joel Embiid, James Harden & Philadelphia 76ers Updates
Harden has career averages of 24.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 7.0 assists with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Brooklyn Nets and Sixers. He is still looking to win his first championship.
It will be fascinating to see where Harden is playing next season. The Clippers, who have zero championships in franchise history, have already spoken to the Sixers about a Harden trade.
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