“No one knows this, but even James is not talking to me” – Joel Embiid reveals James Harden cut all ties with him after the his Sixers exit originally appeared on Basketball Network.
In July 2022, the Philadelphia 76ers strengthened their bid to join the NBA’s elite by signing former league MVP James Harden. This move paired the prolific scorer with star center Joel Embiid and rising talent Tyrese Maxey, creating a formidable trio poised to elevate the team’s standing in the Eastern Conference.
Advertisement
For two seasons, the Sixers delivered on their potential, advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals in back-to-back years. Their 2023 campaign was particularly promising, as they secured a 3-2 series lead over the Boston Celtics, coming within one win of their first conference finals appearance since 2001. However, the dream was short-lived, as the Celtics mounted a comeback and defeated the Sixers in a hard-fought seven-game series.
A few months later, the Beard was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers for a surplus of players and draft picks. In an intriguing tell-all, Embiid shared that since that time, he and Harden haven’t spoken, as he suspects the veteran guard believes he had something to do with that trade.
A formidable combo
While the Sixers fell short of the conference finals in consecutive seasons, the pairing of Embiid and Harden was lethal. In 2023, Embiid proved he and Harden had exceptional chemistry by winning the league’s Most Valuable Player trophy after averaging 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.7 blocks per game.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, Harden became the league’s most lethal playmaker, leading the league in assists, averaging 10.1 dimes per contest. However, his passivity and inefficiency in the last three games against the Celtics were glaring, as he averaged only 13.0 points on 31 percent shooting from the field and 15 percent shooting from deep. While fans and analysts speculate that this was the driving factor behind the Sixers’ decision to trade him, Embiid suggests that Harden may see things differently.
“No one knows this, but even James [Harden] is not talking to me,” Embiid revealed.
“That’s the part I don’t like about being ‘that guy,’ because it puts you in the middle of those situations. Because if you ask James, he probably believes I had something to do with him not being here,” he further explained. “And I’m just like, ‘I won the scoring title. You won the assists title. We had a pick-and-roll that was unstoppable.'”
Steers clear of personnel decisions
No matter how hard NBA superstars try to deny it, their clout can influence personnel decisions within a team. Whether it’s through public statements or behind closed doors, their opinions hold weight in the front office. However, Embiid has made it clear that he wants to stay out of personnel decisions.
Advertisement
“I always told myself I will never be responsible for someone losing their job, someone getting traded, someone getting fired,” he asserted. “Don’t ask me about if we should sign and if we should trade anybody.”
As a matter of fact, JoJo has been adamant about keeping the team’s status quo, betting on developing what they already have instead of making splashy acquisitions every season.
“I kept going back to it, the continuity. When you feel like you have something, instead of building up on it, you just start over. And that’s been like that every single year,” he stressed.
With the new season a few months away, the Sixers have opted to do just that, giving the core of Embiid, Maxey and Paul George another shot at making noise in the league after a season riddled by injuries.
Advertisement
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 17, 2025, where it first appeared.