Joel Embiid Responds To James Harden's Claims He Was 'Leashed' By Sixers

PHILADELPHIA, PA — The ink is barely dry on the latest blockbuster deal that shipped former MVP James Harden out of Philadelphia, after months of the sort of drama and angst to which Sixers fans have become all too accustomed.

But Harden was happy to celebrate the occasion of being traded to the team he desired, the Los Angeles Clippers, by firing yet more shots at Philadelphia.

"It's like being on a leash," he said during his introductory press conference in LA. "I don't mean just shooting the basketball every time. I meant, like, I think the game and I'm a creator on the court. If I've got a voice to where I can say, 'Hey, Coach, I see this. Whatchu think about this?' Then it's like, 'Alright, OK.' Someone that trusts me, that believes in me, that understands me."

While leashed, voiceless, and unable to create, Harden led the NBA in assists in 2022-23.

He later added, "I'm not a system player. I am a system."

The artist formerly known as The Beard, The System will join an LA team featuring superstars Kawhi Leonard, Russell Westbrook, and Paul George. It remains unclear if those players and that franchise is willing and able to capitulate in a way that will satisfy The System.

But back in Philadelphia, The Process was all brotherly love.

“I think he did a lot of great things for us,” Joel Embiid told reporters in the locker room after Thursday night's win over Toronto, including PHLY Sports correspondent Kyle Neubeck. “But in my opinion, I just felt like we allowed him to just be himself. And we gave him the ball every single possession, because he’s really good. He’s an amazing player."

It's just the latest classy response from Embiid, who despite exterior circumstances outside of his control, has forged close relationships with several stars who have fractured their connection to the city and franchise: from Harden to Ben Simmons to Jimmy Butler

“Obviously being that great of a passer, we gave him (Harden) the ball," Embiid added. "If you were watching the game, we gave him the ball every single possession to just go out and do his thing.”

Embiid scored 28 points, pulled down 13 rebounds, and had 7 assists Thursday night. He's well on his way to another MVP award. The Sixers, with another emerging star of their own in Tyrese Maxey and the draft picks and secondary players to swing another trade for another star, will be fine.

Harden had been demanding a trade throughout the offseason due in large part to disagreements with team president Daryl Morey. He showed up for practice and most, but not all team events through the summer and early fall. Reports indicate that he returned to Philadelphia last week expecting to travel with the Sixers on Thursday, but the team told him to stay put, indicating the "final straw" in the saga.

The Sixers, now 3-1 and in sole position of second place in the East, return to the court Saturday night in south Philadelphia against the Phoenix Suns.