Joel Embiid: James Harden 'Completely Different' Than Perceived Ahead of 76ers Debut
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid suggested Friday that perception does not equal reality when it comes to new teammate James Harden.
According to ESPN's Tim Bontemps, Embiid said the following about Harden during Friday's shootaround:
"I mean, it's funny, you see all the stories that are out there, and all that stuff, and obviously we all see it. It's completely different than what you see out there. He's a great person, a great personality, always smiling, fun to be around. Everything, really."
"His presence on the team, and on the floor, has really changed a lot since he got here. So I'm just excited for that to continue on the court and I think that's going to help us a lot."
Harden, who was acquired along with Paul Millsap in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two first-round picks, is set to make his 76ers debut Friday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Harden's last two stops have ended dramatically, as he is now set to play for his third different team in the past two seasons.
After winning three scoring titles and an NBA MVP award in nine seasons with the Houston Rockets, a clearly unhappy Harden was traded from Houston to Brooklyn during the 2020-21 season.
The Nets' goal was to win it all with a Big Three of Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, but the trio barely ever saw the floor together in parts of two seasons due largely to injuries.
In late January, Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer reported that Harden was unhappy in Brooklyn. Fischer also noted that Harden was frustrated over the fact that Irving could only be a part-time player because of his COVID-19 vaccination status.
Just a couple of weeks later, Harden was dealt from Brooklyn to Philly ahead of the NBA trade deadline.
In Philadelphia, Harden is reunited with president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, who was the general manager for most of his tenure with the Rockets.
Harden also figures to have a more defined role with the Sixers than he did the Nets since he won't have to share the backcourt with Irving.
While Embiid is the force inside, the offense is likely to run through Harden at the guard spot, giving him license to chuck up plenty of shots and also facilitate to his teammates.
Harden was chosen as an All-Star this season, but his struggles were evident, as his 22.5 points per game are his lowest since the 2011-12 season. He is also shooting just 41.4 percent from the field and 33.2 percent from beyond the arc, although his 10.2 assists per game are the third-best mark of his career.
There have been questions regarding how good of a teammate Harden is now that he has essentially forced himself out of two different situations in a little over a year, but Embiid clearly has no such concerns.
Embiid called Harden "very smart" and said he believes Harden's transition into the lineup will be a "smooth" one.
With a record of 35-23, the Sixers are third in the Eastern Conference, just three games behind the Chicago Bulls.
Philadelphia accomplished that without the services of Simmons, so with Harden entering the fray and teaming up with Embiid, the 76ers are now considered one of the top contenders to represent the East in the NBA Finals.
