“Always going to believe in myself” - Joel Embiid confident about title chances despite James Harden’s exit
Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers are moving on to a new chapter after the end of the James Harden saga. The Sixers sent Harden and elite defender PJ Tucker to the LA Clippers last week in exchange for four players and draft picks. Despite losing an All-Star player, Philadelphia is still considered a title contender in the Eastern Conference.
With reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid as the undisputed leader and Tyrese Maxey upgrading to the No. 2 option after Harden's departure, the Sixers are optimistic about their chances for a deep playoff run this year.
For his part, Embiid is confident that the Sixers will be able to challenge for the championship despite James Harden's trade to the Clippers.
"I’m always going to believe in myself. It doesn’t matter who was on the team. From my rookie year to now, every single year, I believe that we have an opportunity to win," Joel Embiid said, via Michael Lee of the Washington Post.
Joel Embiid is excited about Sixers' roster after James Harden's trade
The Philadelphia 76ers got four role players in return for James Harden and PJ Tucker, adding some much-needed depth to their roster. Joel Embiid talked about the new additions and praised Philadelphia's roster.
"We’re here. We got great players. I love what we have. I’m not sure what their plan is and what they want to do. But I like our guys. Guys want to compete. They want to get better. The chemistry is there. Guys like each other. So I think that’s a good start when you want to accomplish those things," Embiid added.
The Sixers had to go through a turbulent offseason following Harden's trade demand and his feud with Philadelphia's president of basketball operations, Daryl Morey.
Harden had no plans to join the Sixers as long as Morey was in charge of the front office. Now that Harden has joined the Clippers, Morey and the Sixers are looking for another superstar to partner alongside Joel Embiid.
Morey views Embiid as the cornerstone of the franchise and their best chance of a trip to the NBA Finals.
"I have to have one focus in this job," Daryl Morey said during a news conference after the trade, via the Washington Post. "What gives us a chance to win the title? I have to keep the noise out. Otherwise, I’ll be hurting Joel. I’ll be hurting our fans."
"Joel is a very smart player. He’s obviously the cornerstone — he’s the MVP of the league. We always keep him aware of what we’re planning. He’s very comfortable in the approach that we’re taking. He feels like it gives us the best chance to win," Morey added.
After their 118-117 road loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in their opener, the Philadelphia 76ers have won four straight games and are second in the East, trailing only the undefeated Boston Celtics (5-0). The Sixers will look to extend their winning streak to five games when they host the Washington Wizards on Monday.
In the first five games of the season, Joel Embiid is averaging 29.4 points, 11.0 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game while shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 47.4 percent from three.