James Harden cites Tyrese Maxey's $203.5M contract's impact in leadership after Joel Embiid call out

Not so long ago, James Harden was Joel Embiid's sidekick. His tenure with the Philadelphia 76ers was short-lived, though, as his public fued with GM Daryl Morey eventually led to him being traded to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Even so, Harden is pretty familiar with the ins and outs of the Sixers' locker room. He was a mentor to Tyrese Maxey, who's been the team's de facto leader with Embiid and Paul George out with injuries.

Following the Clippers' win over the Sixers, Harden was asked about reports of Maxey calling out Embiid in a team meeting.

"Fifth year," Harden started. "You got the money. The money comes with a lot of responsibilities. Whether it’s using your voice. Going out there on a night-to-night basis and producing, you know, so that comes with the package, and for him, I've seen his growing. He’s only gonna continue to get better."

Maxey signed a five-year contract extension worth $203.5 million, and as such, he's expected to be a leader on and off the court.

Harden is proud of Maxey

Harden took Maxey under his wing when he was trying to make his way in the league. When asked about him, Harden gushed about his growth and revealed that he still tries to give him a hand every now and then.

​

"Improvement," Harden said. "Improvement. No matter what the situation is, whether they're fully healthy or he’s out there by himself, his role doesn’t change. He continues to be aggressive. He continues to grow. He continues to see different coverages every night. We communicate often, so we talk about just the game and things that we both see."

It's been a tough season for Maxey and the Sixers. He's averaging 24.4 points per game on 41% from the floor, which is remarkable if you consider how much defenses can key in on him out as the lone proven scoring threat on Nick Nurse's team. As tough as things might be right now, these struggles will also help him mature and develop as a player and a leader.

​