It was yet another disappointing end to the season for the Philadelphia 76ers but things might just be about to get a lot worse.
James Harden is expected to return to the Houston Rockets in free agency and while that is bad news for Joel Embiid, Kendrick Perkins says Embiid should want Harden to leave.
“To be honest with you, I think Joel Embiid should want Harden to walk,” Perkins said on First Take. “I think he deserves better than James Harden and if it comes down to Harden making the decision on who the coach is gonna be, I believe Joel Embiid should force his way out because here’s the thing, it’s bad enough that they didn’t consult or even ask Joel Embiid about Doc Rivers or whether or not he wanted to keep Doc Rivers, that was insulting right there because this is your league MVP. This is your franchise guy, he has led the league in scoring two years in a row. You at least have to ask him. This is not about James Harden and this is the problem that I have. If I’m Joel Embiid, there’s no way in hell I’m trusting Daryl Morey with the love affair that he has with James Harden, that he’s gonna do right by Joel Embiid. He’s always gonna do right by James Harden, but I don’t trust he’s gonna do right by Joel Embiid. With that being said, if I’m Joel Embiid, I’m watching to see what happens because I would actually love to see Kyrie Irving in Philadelphia with Joel Embiid.”
.@KendrickPerkins believes Joel Embiid should want James Harden to walk 😳
"I think he deserves better than James Harden." pic.twitter.com/eakNjx5VfD
— First Take (@FirstTake) May 19, 2023
Sixers president Daryl Morey did admit that Embiid wasn’t happy with Doc Rivers being fired and he may not be too pleased that Harden was reportedly the driving force behind it. Still, it is doubtful that he would want his co-star to leave as he would have no shot at winning a title without him.
In fact, a report earlier this month stated that if Harden were to leave, then Embiid would hand in a trade request. As for Perkins’ wish to see Kyrie Irving on the Sixers, the only way he would end up there is via some sign-and-trade with the Dallas Mavericks but that doesn’t seem likely at this point.
Everything Seems To Be Falling Apart For The Sixers
This past offseason was an incredible one for the Sixers, as Harden took a pay cut which allowed them to build what could have been regarded as the best team of the Embiid era. There was a lot of optimism in the lead-up to the campaign, but the end result was the same as in years past.
Now this offseason will potentially see Harden’s departure and Embiid is reportedly being pursued by the New York Knicks. The Sixers will certainly try to hold on to Embiid no matter what but if it is clear to him that this team isn’t going to contend, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he pushes for a move. He is 29 years old now and considering his injury history, he only has so many years left at the top.
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