Why James Harden must make the Joel Embiid connection work

James Harden has, at varied factors in his phenomenal profession, performed Kevin Durant (twice), Russell Westbrook (twice), Chris Paul and Kyrie Irving as teammates.

This can be a huge group of superstars, however for no matter purpose, he could not win a championship with them or he did not stick with them lengthy sufficient to see if a championship may occur.

And that checklist would not even embody Dwight Howard, who was nonetheless considerably in his prime when he collaborated briefly with Harden.

So, an attention-grabbing and carefully contested race is in progress now within the Harden universe, between time, excuses, and the All-Star teammates. He is operating out of all three.

Subsequent up is Joel Embiid, by far the perfect huge man Harden has ever recognized, a brutal heart amassing a strong season MVP, and an avid star who’s anxious — if not determined — to win the championship himself. With out Simmons and Harden, Embiid averaged 29.6 factors, 11.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists.

“There’s nonetheless one other degree that I can get to, and I feel I can get to,” Embiid stated.

Judging by the smile on his face after Friday’s win within the new duo’s first match collectively, Embiid is considerably proud of the match to date.

“It was most likely essentially the most open I’ve ever had in my profession,” Embiid joked after their 133-102 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

“[I’m] Very blissful,” Harden stated after the sport, after making his debut with 27 factors, 12 assists and eight rebounds, taking pictures 7 of 12 from the bottom and 5 of seven from behind the arc.

5 of Harden’s 12 assists went to Embiid, who completed with 34 factors, 10 rebounds and 9 assists on his personal whereas nonetheless going MVP.

As soon as once more, Harden is blessed with a co-star of equal or higher than him, however now there’s extra urgency to lastly faucet as Harden’s journey strikes to Philadelphia.

“For me, that made sense,” he stated.

The Sixers have invested closely in Harden, each from a gift and future standpoint. They’ve sacrificed depth in Seth Curry and Andre Drummond, together with the non-protected first-round picks for 2023 and 2027, the top-tier protected. After all, the Sixers had been able to dump Ben Simmons, however that was a steep value to pay, and who knew the Sixers must throw in these sweeteners to commerce a proficient however flawed younger participant like Simmons who was underneath contract. Two extra seasons?

However Philly supervisor Daryl Morey has a comfortable spot for Harden and pressed arduous to be reunited with the star he had in Houston. Definitely, Morey is on scorching chess with this commerce, particularly since Harden’s contract solely has a participant possibility 12 months left. Meaning the Sixers are all set to increase Harden past subsequent season’s $47 million, a dangerous transfer for the 32-year-old with maybe his greatest years behind.

Mori completely would not care about any of that.

“James is a basketball genius,” Morey stated. “And he had wished to play with Joel for a very long time. I feel he at all times thought Joel was, like, the proper man to pair up with.

“I feel it is like anybody with a brand new group. You understand you are the brand new man. You need to slot in after which present what you are able to do. Everybody has watched James play for a few years and is aware of what he is able to.”

What about Harden? Would not he additionally really feel some warmth with this motion? Harden made his approach out of Brooklyn, and fewer than a 12 months in the past, out of Houston, too. He pulled the plug in each circumstances to be able to discover One thing else. We’re right here.

“Like Daryl stated, the prospect to win is now,” Harden stated. “Joel is enjoying the perfect he is ever performed. So my job is to get on the market and assist him and assist the entire staff win a championship this 12 months and within the years to come back.”

It began off properly in Philadelphia for Harden, however Here’s a checklist of earlier All-Stars that he collaborated with with out with the ability to make it successful:

Oklahoma Metropolis, 2009-2012 (Durant & Westbrook):

The Thunder had three future MVPs within the lineup, plus Serge Ibaka, and someday there shall be a documentary made on that setup and the way it fell aside. Mainly, the Thunder could not pay everybody, and principally selected Ibaka over Harden.

They prolonged Ibaka, and with Harden negotiations on deck, they determined to commerce him solely as a result of, on the time, Harden was a sixth man—a tricky man, however nonetheless—and the bravery of that staff was Durant and Westbrook. They made it to the NBA Finals collectively (Harden performed poorly in that streak of loss to Miami) and the OKC determined to pay a document bench participant value which may not have been of their greatest pursuits at wage cap, on condition that Durant and Westbrook’s extensions had been nearing.

In hindsight, should not the OKC need to pay everybody and settle for the luxurious tax penalty? It is simple to say as a result of it is not your cash; Nevertheless, this was a type of conditions that pays now and worries later, as a result of OKC, filled with younger expertise, has been within the hunt for the championship for years.

Houston, 2012-2020 (Westbrook, Paul):

Harden grew to become a famous person in Houston as a result of his coach Mike D’Antony and the franchise did their greatest to please him and showcase his improved taking pictures and sport making expertise. Within the course of, the sunshine remained inexperienced, and the affect and affect he had raised his ego alongside along with his sport and status.

This group created a deadly three-time goalscorer and MVP, in addition to a franchise participant who did not make it simple to discover a match for him.

Chris Paul’s arrival appeared excellent. The Rockets instantly have a pair of artistic guards who can play on or off the ball, as Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars have executed for years (and two title groups) in Detroit. Not like these two, nevertheless, Harden and Paul by no means intertwined and their egos and philosophies clashed loads, particularly within the playoffs the place they could not get previous the Warriors. Paul suffered a hamstring pressure along with his 3-2 lead within the playoff sequence over Golden State three years in the past that did not assist him both, and he had sufficient after simply two years with Harden.

Paul was thought of an aged participant when Houston changed him with Westbrook in 2019; The Rockets needed to throw a pair of first-round sweeteners to OKC, which shocked too late. Once more, on the floor, this new group appeared like a tricky match, particularly since Harden and Westbrook had been as soon as teammates and nonetheless shut buddies.

However it collapsed within the Orlando 2020 bubble when the Rockets rebounded in 5 video games in opposition to the Lakers within the playoffs. When Morey then fled to Philly and Westbrook was traded to Washington, Harden wasn’t snug staying longer in Houston or making an attempt to attempt once more, this time with John Wall.

Brooklyn, 2020-22 (Durant, Irving):

Harden frowned at Houston’s palms and compelled them to lastly get what he wanted–a deal for a rival.

As he stated lately, the Nets weren’t his first alternative, however they gave him the perfect likelihood, up till that time, of successful the title. On the time, Durant was lastly healed, however Harden and Irving handled the accidents that had been in the end sentenced to Brooklyn within the playoffs final 12 months. Properly, that, together with Durant strolling a 3-point streak within the East Half in opposition to the Bucks.

When this season began, Brooklyn seemed sturdy. That was till New York Metropolis revised its well being and security legislation and banned Irving from enjoying home video games. As a result of accidents and Irving’s state of affairs, the three performed solely 16 video games collectively. The state of affairs appeared weak to a different Harden meltdown, and for the second time in lower than 13 months, he requested.

Philadelphia, 2023 onwards (Embiid):

To date, Philadelphia and Embiid are the place 76 gamers need to win their first title since 1983.

“I imply, it wasn’t deliberate like that,” Harden stated. “Fourteen months in the past, I did not see myself with three completely different groups. However we’re right here as we speak and I am blissful.”

As soon as once more, the match appears strong. Actually, the Sixers and coach Doc Rivers will seize the alternatives to select between a dominant huge man and a crafty dodger. In a best-case state of affairs, Harden-Embiid is likely to be essentially the most ferocious participant within the league in years, maybe since Karl Malone and John Stockton.

Significantly: the Embiid is a big-bodied hub that may act as a large defend in pick-up, giving Harden an opportunity to both return and shoot a 3, let the Embiid roll to the sting and feed him for a dip, or let the Embiid pick-and- pop (Embiid is an effective out of doors shooter). Or Harden may use the outlet mismatch to assault the sting himself. The alternatives are a number of, they usually want Philly.

“I feel we praise one another,” Harden stated. “Clearly the entire world is aware of how nice Joel has been enjoying – not simply scoring basketball, however rebounding. His presence alone is unbelievable. I really feel like I really feel the identical approach about making my teammates higher and doing various things that have an effect on the sport on the The very best degree “.

This shall be a course of, nevertheless.

The Sixers undergo from a scarcity of depth, a state of affairs attributable to transport Curry and Drummond to Brooklyn. Embiid ought to burn heavy minutes within the upcoming playoffs if the Sixers cannot get a good manufacturing from Willie Cauley-Stein, who has simply been signed to a 10-day contract as backup. With out Curry, The Sixers hope Tyrese Maxey can deal with the heavy minutes as properly, they usually additionally pray that Danny Inexperienced, amongst others, can substitute Curry’s accuracy from depth.

It is a contemporary begin for Harden, as soon as once more, and an opportunity to attach with one other teammate who can produce the event that eluded him. However he is aware of it really works across the clock and on the spot.

“Right here at Philly we have now a chance, and I am wanting ahead to it,” Harden stated.