"A teardown could be better": After James Harden's comments, Vince Goodwill claims Daryl Morey would prefer Joel Embiid wanting out
The NBA and basketball fans may have seen the last of the Joel Embiid and James Harden partnership last season. Who could have thought that after a brutal Game 7 loss to the Boston Celtics, the duo may never play for the same team again?
The big news in the offseason has been Harden’s much-publicized discontent with how Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has handled contract negotiations. As a result, the former MVP demanded to be traded and then ripped Morey by calling him a liar in front of hundreds of Chinese fans.
The James Harden brouhaha may not just be the result of the said standoff. Per Vince Goodwill, could Joel Embiid ultimately be the prize of Philly’s failures?
“Embiid has said all the right things publicly, but there has to be some residual fatigue in his entire 76ers experience. Morey is only responsible for the last few years, but in totality, many around the league believe Embiid will ask out sooner rather than later — and that a full rebuild is what Morey is covertly hoping for.”
“For Morey, a teardown could be better than another outright failure in the East.”
Daryl Morey arrived in the summer of 2020 after more than a decade with the Houston Rockets as general manager. Since becoming the Philadelphia 76ers’ president of basketball operations, the team still hasn’t gone past the second round of the playoffs.
The Sixers came close twice to advancing to the conference finals over the last five years. They lost to the Toronto Raptors via Kawhi Leonard’s four-bounce buzzer-beater and to the Boston Celtics last season.
Morey wasn’t with the 76ers in 2019 but he was already at the helm in 2023. So far, any lineup built around Joel Embiid has been a playoff disappointment. If the James Harden issue isn’t resolved, Philadelphia is looking at an unenviable task of competing against the loaded East.
A month or so ago, Embiid said in an interview that all he wants is to win a championship, which went with a subtle warning. He’s willing to do it with the Philadelphia 76ers or with any team that gives him that chance.
“The Process” tried to dismiss it with some comments about being a “troll” on social media. Regardless, Daryl Morey and the front office has been put on notice. Joel Embiid might give it one more go before ultimately wanting a way out of Philadelphia.
Joel Embiid will have a suspect supporting cast if the James Harden standoff continues
James Harden has made it abundantly clear that he wants no part of an organization that employs Daryl Morey. Whether he’s willing to get fined for his actions if no trade happens remains to be seen.
What is certain in the impasse is how the Philadelphia 76ers’ supporting cast around Joel Embiid will suffer. If “The Beard” sits out, new coach Nick Nurse will have Tyrese Maxey, P.J. Tucker, De’Anthony Melton and Tobias Harris. New additions Patrick Beverley and Mo Bamba are also expected to contribute.
The Sixers had basically this roster last season with James Harden and still failed. Without the assists champ, Embiid’s supporting cast might not be enough against a retooled Eastern conference.