James Harden and Joel Embiid have the potential to be a superstar duo unlike any we have seen in recent memory. Harden is a former MVP, and Embiid is an MVP-level center, so the synergy of a dynamic guard and a versatile big man could be absolutely lethal in the modern NBA. However, their debut season together didn’t pan out like that.
Harden had a hard time adjusting to the Philadelphia system, and there were growing pains when it came to finding the correct ways to play Harden alongside Embiid in the 76ers system. The team was also depleted by giving up assets to acquire Harden like Seth Curry and Andre Drummond.
After Harden took a pay cut to give the 76ers the cap space to sign PJ Tucker, the former MVP has been emphasizing his newfound motivation to push for a championship alongside Embiid to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.
“I talk with Joel frequently and we have meetings about how we’re going to play and what we need to do to help our team win a championship. We’re going to grow together and try to lead this team to the top. I believe we can do it together."
– James Harden pic.twitter.com/LwAJ9ye0m4
— 👽🗣️ (@SirEmbiid) July 18, 2022
“I talk with Joel frequently and we have meetings about how we’re going to play and what we need to do to help our team win a championship. When you have two of the top players at their positions on the same team, that’s a great building block. We’re going to grow together and try to lead this team to the top. I believe we can do it together.” (h/t Chris Haynes – Yahoo Sports)
Harden is a tremendous talent who may have aged out of his prime. While the athleticism and the speed may have diminished, he is still a capable shooter and one of the best playmakers in the league. His playmaking came into prominence during his time with the Brooklyn Nets, and he seemed to rely excessively on passing instead of aggressively scoring during the 2022 Playoffs with Philly.
With a new mindset and more chemistry between the players, the 76ers will be well prepared for what could be their best season since the Allen Iverson days.
