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Ahead of NBA Trade Deadline, Joel Embiid Calls Out Josh Harris for “Ducking the Tax” in Previous Seasons
By Sean Barnard
Published:
We’re a few days from the February 5th NBA trade deadline, when teams will look to put their final touches on the roster for the second half push. The Sixers still have one open roster spot, some tradable contracts, draft picks to sweeten the pot, and a wide-open Eastern Conference. They are five games above .500, and if the season ended today, they would be a top-six seed preparing for a playoff series. For Joel Embiid, this is all the organization should need to see to conclude that this year’s team is worth spending on:
From just about any way you want to grade it, the Sixers have exceeded expectations this year. Tyrese Maxey has taken another leap in his development. VJ Edgecombe is as polished as you could possibly hope for in a rookie, consistently finding ways to impact winning. Paul George has settled into his role and has had some nice flashes. Most noteworthy, Embiid himself is showing an increased level of ability and availability. Just one year removed from playing a career-low 19 games and looking like a shell of himself, Embiid has suited up for 27 games already this year and improved his averages to 25.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists.
He is not quite the peak version of himself, and Embiid likely will not be returning to his place as a clear-cut top-three player in basketball the way he once was. But he is far closer to this than could be imagined based on how bleak the outlook seemed. Across his past 18 games, the former MVP is averaging 29.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game.
This is not to say there aren’t still concerns about this Sixers team. They have issues rebounding, their defense can look disconnected at times, and they still haven’t figured out how to play third quarters. There will also always be the same lingering concerns, that one wrong step from Embiid and all this momentum that has been built up in the first half of the season is for nothing.
But there is never going to be a time when these concerns do not fully exist. Embiid deserves credit for holding up his end of the bargain for returning to as close to his peak level as his body will physically allow. It is fair for the seven-time All-Star to want to be rewarded for this. The conversations regarding the holes in the roster should be more of a reason to spend, not less. This team has shown enough flashes and needs to be completed from a roster perspective.
Finances are a driving force of internal decisions across NBA front offices everywhere. However, the Sixers have consistently made decisions prioritizing cost saving over talent acquisition at the trade deadline beyond what would be expected from a major market team intent on contending. Moves like attaching draft picks to trade away Jaden Springer for cap relief in 2023-24. The same was done with K.J. Martin just last year.
This is not to say that cutting costs is inherently a bad thing. There is a world where the Sixers can find cheaper contracts for better players and accomplish both tasks. I did my best to lay out the financial state of the Sixers in this recent article, as there are some team-building constraints that come with exceeding certain margins. But it does not take a keen eye to realize the outlook for this season and in past years has purely boiled down to how much Josh Harris is spending.
If the outlook is that the front office just doesn’t feel this team is a contender, that’s one thing. But if the Sixers are slimming costs to save money for the Washington Commanders, this is completely unacceptable.
Closed mouths do not get fed, and it is noteworthy that Embiid is being outspoken on this topic. For most of his career, the Sixers star has generally taken the approach of giving no opinion on front office matters, even when he has to really go out of his way to avoid certain questions. Vibes are typically a wildly overrated talking point, but Embiid has looked to be having fun on the floor this season in a way that has not been true for several years. The reality that the end is in sight from a career perspective seems to have settled in for Embiid, and it should for the front office as well:
He has his flaws, but when Embiid is at his best, he is the best player on every single basketball court he walks on. Portions of the fan base are ready to turn the page on his tenure in Philadelphia already, but the reality is that players of Embiid’s caliber do not come often. Even with all the rightful hype surrounding Maxey and Edgecombe, the likelihood that either ascends to the level of Embiid’s talent seems lim. With them each showing signs of promise together, the Sixers have a responsibility to capitalize on this.
This also isn’t the first time Embiid has spoken in a way that resulted in Josh Harris footing the bill. After the Sixers organization seemingly was going to decline paying arena employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Embiid volunteered to pick up the bill himself, which resulted in the Sixers ultimately doing the right thing in the end.
A star player’s voice matters in an organization, and especially in the NBA. Embiid has had success putting public pressure on the organization in the past, and he is leaning on this same playbook. Start the countdown to February 5th.
Sean Barnard has covered the Philadelphia 76ers and general Philly Sports for over six years in a variety of roles and for multiple outlets. Currently works as a Content Writer for DraftKings Network, Sixers/NBA Insider for Philadelphia's Fox Sports the Gambler, and co-host of Sixers & Phillies Digest on Youtube. Forever Trusting the Process.