76ers' Daryl Morey: Joel Embiid Trade Rumors Started by Rivals; No Plans to Move Star

Joel Embiid will not be following James Harden out the door in Philadelphia anytime soon.

Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey spoke to reporters Wednesday, saying his and the team's relationship with the reigning MVP remains "extremely strong."

"Our relationship and his relationship with the front office, ownership, and Coach Nurse is extremely strong," Morey said.

Morey added that any trade rumors surrounding Embiid were created by rival teams attempting to drive a wedge between the two sides.

To be fair to those rival teams, Embiid hasn't done much to quell rumors he may want out in the future. He made multiple cryptic social media posts over the summer and expressed a desire to compete for a championship—even if it meant leaving Philadelphia—in an interview with Maverick Carter.

"I just want to win a championship. Whatever it takes. I don't know where that's gonna be, whether it's in Philly or anywhere else, I just want to have a chance to accomplish that," Embiid said. "I wanna see what it feels like to win that first one and then think about the next one. It's not easy, but it takes more than one, two, three guys. You gotta have good people around you."

Veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein reported the relationship between Embiid and Morey has been "undeniably dented" by the chaos in the organization.

Harden's trade request was the second time in three seasons a superstar has taken drastic measures to exit Philadelphia. Ben Simmons completely refused to play for the Sixers during the 2021-22 season amid mental health concerns, and he was later traded to Brooklyn in the package that brought Harden to Philadelphia.

Harden's issues with the Sixers did not last quite as long, but he was also more vocal in calling out Morey as the reason he wanted to exit. Given the strong bond between Morey and Harden that existed for a decade before the All-Star guard started to decline, it's fair to wonder if Morey's loyalty has taken a hit in the eyes of Embiid.

As it stands, Morey knows he's on the clock to find a viable replacement for Harden. The Sixers will be active in the trade market ahead of February's deadline and should have max-level cap space available this summer.

If Morey strikes out, don't be surprised if the Embiid rumors grow louder.