Joel Embiid on Ben Simmons saga, James Harden trade rumours and big Philadelphia 76ers talking points | NBA News

Whenever Joel Embiid speaks, people tend to listen and the Philadelphia 76ers superstar has had his say on all the big stories surrounding the franchise right now.

The two biggest narrative threads heading into this week’s trade deadline surround the Pennsylvania ball club, with the spectre of the Ben Simmons saga still hanging over the franchise and last week’s massive story which emerged suggesting that the Sixers are targeting the addition of former MVP James Harden from the Brooklyn Nets.

Given that Simmons decided in the summer that he would refuse to suit up for the Sixers this season – with all of the to-ing fro-ing from the Australian after the fallout of their Game 7 Eastern Conference semi-finals defeat to Atlanta Hawks last season – few expected Philadelphia to have such a good season.

As it stands though, the Sixers are 32-21 and just 2.0 games back from the top of the East. The Sixers were expected to have a solid season, but amid the Simmons saga, nobody expected Philadelphia to be playing this well.

Simmons requested a trade in the 2021 offseason, then after making his return to the Sixers practice facility in October, he told the team he is not yet mentally ready to return and play.

His anger reportedly stemmed from the press conference after the Game 7 defeat where head coach Doc Rivers was asked if Simmons, who passed on a vital dunk down the stretch when right in front of the basket, was asked if he thought Simmons could be the point guard on a championship team.

Rivers answered honestly, saying he didn’t know. The Australian, taken first in the 2016 draft, was also angry that it seemed to be more Embiid’s team than his. In truth, both players’ respective levels of player probably merited that being the case and now nobody could refute that this team belongs to “The Process”.

Embiid joined “The Mike Misanelli Show” on 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia on Monday, per Sixers Wire, and he was asked for his take on all the big stories in Philly.

Questions have been editorialised slightly for clarity.

What are your feeling about the Simmons situation now, after a long time to reflect?

I’ve been saying since preseason, it’s unfortunate, you know, everything that’s happened. Everybody’s at fault, but at the end of the day, you got to look at yourself and when we lost, I looked at myself. I knew I wasn’t good enough, I knew I wasn’t healthy enough, and I knew I wasn’t good enough. So I just looked at myself and I try to find ways that I can be better and I can help the team just be better I worked hard this summer to try to improve in every facet of my game and I know a lot of other guys did or you can look at the improvement that Tyrese (Maxey) has made and Tobias (Harris) has made, every other guy on the team so I think at the end of the day, you gotta have some self-awareness and kind of look at yourself and see how you can help the team. It’s never about one player. Like I always say, you can’t win basketball 1-on-5. You need your teammates. You need everybody to do their part.

Do you think Simmons’ reaction is unreasonable?

Oh, definitely. Definitely. You look at what has been said I just think this is a business. If we don’t get the results, you guys are always on us. You guys are always booing us and all that stuff which at times, we do deserve. You’re not playing well, you deserve the boos. You deserve to be let know that. ‘Oh, you’re not playing well, you need to be better.’ I just don’t think it was reasonable.

How much would you enjoy the chance to play with James Harden?

I haven’t heard anything, but I’ve seen this stuff coming out. He plays for the Brooklyn Nets, you know, there’s nothing I can do about that. I love all my teammates, but that’s like, you actually a question like, would you love playing with Steph Curry? Obviously, the top players, they all make each other better, and he’s gotten close before. He has gone to the conference finals. He’s gotten close to making it to the finals, but that’s something I really can’t comment about it, because he plays for another team and he’s not realistic. We all see the same thing on the internet and I don’t know what’s true and what’s not, but I do believe that with the guys that we have, my teammates, I do believe that we have a chance together, but like I said, it’s gonna take all of us to play at the highest level possible to be able to compete.

Would you and the Sixers welcome Simmons back into the fold?

Honestly, I’m trying to win. I’m trying to win a championship. Whatever that’s gonna help me achieve that, I’m fine with whatever. I’ve always said that. Obviously, we’re a better team with him on the floor and I’m sure a lot of people agree, even if they don’t want to agree, it doesn’t matter. We still are a better team with him on the floor. So, to me, my goal has always been to win a championship. I don’t hate anybody and I don’t have any problems with anybody around the league. Let’s say, I really hated someone on another team and the front office went and traded for that guy because they believe that we could win a championship, you know what? My goal is to win a championship. I’ll be fine with it, but like I said, I don’t hate anybody and I love everybody. I don’t know about how everybody else feels but to me you know, I’m trying to win a championship that, you know, whatever it takes to accomplish that, I’m fine with that.

If you could go back and change anything with Simmons, what would it be?

The only thing I can think about is I mean the comments, but then again, I look back at what was said during the year and coach really had all of our backs, and especially him all year long always praising and all that stuff. So if that one thing was the reason why all this is happening, then it’s not fair because everybody’s allowed to make mistakes, especially in the heat of the moment, but I really believe that it is really deeper than that. Obviously, some people deal with pressure differently, especially from fans and stuff, but to me personally, honestly, I wouldn’t change anything. I’m honest. I won’t go back on what I said especially because I didn’t mention anybody. I didn’t call out anybody.

Do you think Simmons is acting unreasonably?

Yeah, whatever word you want to use. I just don’t think it’s fair. I always go back and this is a business. If a team came and offered, and I’m just making a suggestion, I’m not saying is even possible, let’s say a team can offer which would, which would never happen anyways, a team came and offer let’s say, what team can I use? Golden State. They came and they offered let’s say Steph, Klay (Thompson), and two first-round picks for me. You think the Sixers will say no to that? Of course, they would say yes to that. This is a business. You never know what can happen. You can’t get your feelings hurt just because your name is in trade rumours.

Embiid did clarify that he is not addressing Simmons-Harden specifically. Just trade rumours in general.