"We wanna come play with Embiid next year" - Kendrick Perkins on what James Harden's camp reportedly said to Philadelphia 76ers, says "this ain't no lie"
NBA and Brooklyn Nets superstar James Harden seemingly has one foot out of the door as he continues to drop subtle hints of potentially leaving the Nets in the summer.
On All The Smoke podcast, Kendrick Perkins talked about how Harden and his entourage have been hinting at leaving the Brooklyn-based side for the Philadelphia 76ers. Perkins said:
"Now, James Harden’s camp was telling people in Philly ‘we want to come play with Embiid next year. This ain’t no lie, this facts."
Perkins also discussed how Harden refused to sign a contract with the Brooklyn Nets. Perkins continued:
"Harden didn't sign his contract extension. He didn't sign it, he was supposed to sign it. It was supposed to go KD, Kyrie and James Harden."
Should James Harden want to move to the 76ers?
The James Harden and Ben Simmons trade deal has been rumored to be in the works by the Philadelphia 76ers for the summer. It would provide Harden with the perfect opportunity to have an all-out assault on the championship this season with the Nets and potentially make a move in the summer to a new team. The Nets would in return get another All-Star caliber player in Simmons.
One of the primary reasons why Harden is keen to leave the Nets is because of the uncertainty surrounding Kyrie Irving and his availability. Due to the Covid-19 vaccination mandate in Brooklyn, Irving has been unable to participate in home games. As things stand, this will be the case in the postseason as well. Without Kyrie Irving, the Nets aren't overwhelming favorites as they would be with him.
James Harden since Christmas:
27.3 PPG
8.4 RPG
10.8 APG
45.1 FG% https://t.co/Dj2iYidEvx
Harden turns 33 in August, which means he isn't a spring chicken anymore. Retiring without a championship would be a big blow to his legacy and he is essentially ring chasing at the moment after forcing his way out of Houston. Going to Philly and teaming up with Joel Embiid might provide him with the best opportunity of his career at winning the championship and this is the main motivation behind this move.
However, Embiid's health remains suspect. Whether he can last an entire season while playing at an MVP level is something Harden will have to ponder upon with regards to this move.
Either way, if the trade does go through then it isn't an exaggeration to say that both teams will improve with their new acquisitions. We could be in for an intriguing postseason matchup between two Eastern Conference powerhouses with an underlying sub-plot.