James Harden & Joel Embiid Are A Match Made In Heaven

Throughout the most recent couple of long stretches of Harden’s time in Brooklyn, reports from everywhere surfaced with regards to his developing dissatisfaction with the team. He was supposedly upset with Kyrie Irving’s high maintenance status with the Nets, Steve Nash’s coaching, and living in Brooklyn overall. Regardless of whether those reports were to some degree misrepresented, Harden’s effort on the court told us all we had to know. The 10-time All-Star essentially seemed out of it on a night-to-night premise. He was continually turning the ball over with sluggish passes and showing next to zero care, which seemed really similar to his time with the Rockets when he was ready to get out.

In spite of the fact that he never openly let it be known, Harden plainly needed out. The Nets had no real option other than to let Harden walk, but only for the right price.

When James Harden was traded right out of Houston and joined the Brooklyn Nets in January of 2021, we all thought there was no where better for him to land. Teaming up with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving offered Harden the most obvious opportunity to win a title, yet the triplet wound up playing just 16 games together before The Beard said he needed out.

? 27 PTS (7/12 FGM) | 8 REB | 12 AST | 5 3PM ?

James Harden dropped 27 PTS in his debut to secure the win for the @sixers! pic.twitter.com/oTXt96xTtn

— NBA (@NBA) February 26, 2022

Harden wanted to be traded to the 76ers rather than the Nets

At the NBA trade deadline last week, Harden got his desire when the Nets as they traded him to the Philadelphia 76ers trade for a Ben Simmons bundle. Many fans asked why Harden would abandon Brooklyn’s dynamic Big Three after only one year, however he never wanted to be traded to the Nets in any case. It turns out Philadelphia was consistently his objective.

“One of the best coaches to ever coach the game of basketball. Why wouldn’t I wanna be led by that?” Harden said. “I’ve been doing it for a very long time, but he’s been doing it way longer than me, and he’s experienced way more than me. As the player that I am, I still need to learn. I still need to be helped and taught and be put in a position to be successful.”

The Beard is currently 32 years old, and he’s as of now giving indications of slowing down from his prime. Be that as it may, he’s never played with a big man like Embiid previously. With two of the most relentless powers in the NBA now available to them, the 76ers have become genuine title contenders in 2022 and then some. Plus, Harden might be back in his prime as he enters a situation he likes and gives 100% effort.

James has effectively secured himself as an obvious Hall of Famer, however the one glaring thing missing from his resume is a title. In 12 years in the NBA, he’s been to the NBA Finals only a single time, and that was as far as back in 2012 when he was the 6th man for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Harden’s window to win a ring will close soon, and now that he’s at last in the city he’s been dreaming about for north of a year, it’s presently or never.