Sixers

Joel Embiid Responds to James Harden’s Comments About Systems and Leashes

By Kevin Kinkead

Published: Nov 3rd, 2023 · 9:23 AM EDT

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James Harden did his introductory press conference in Los Angeles on Thursday afternoon and said some things that were so insanely idiotic, that everyone is now dumber for having listened to it:

James Harden on his Sixers situation:

“Philly is just changing my role knowing I can give more, knowing I can do more, but if you want me to be honest, it’s like being on a leash… I never really had that opportunity [to score and facilitate freely].”pic.twitter.com/EX2zoE3dTv

— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) November 2, 2023

James Harden on what he meant when he said Sixers had him on a leash:

“I think the game and I’m a creator on the court… [Need] somebody that trusts me, that believes in me, that understands me, that I’m not a system player. I am a system.”pic.twitter.com/gN8PtbwH7N

— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) November 2, 2023

Maybe I was watching a different team entirely last year, but Harden didn’t seem to be limited by any system or style. He had the ball in his hands more than anyone not named Joel Embiid, who won MVP. He was the point guard and main facilitator. Everything did go through him, to the tune of 10.7 assists per game, which was the second-best number he’s posted in his entire career. Even looking a little deeper, the NBA tracking data says he was third in the league with 93.5 touches per game, behind only Nikola Jokic and Tyrese Haliburton.

After the Sixers beat the Raptors on Thursday night, Embiid said this about Harden’s comments:

“I think he did a lot of great things for us. But the notion of misuse, maybe that could have been coming from the way he felt with the coaching staff. But in my opinion, I feel like we allowed him to just be himself. We gave him the ball every single possession, because he’s really good. He’s an amazing player. Obviously, being that great of a passer, I think we gave him the ball, if you watched it we’d give him the ball every single possession to just go out and do his thing. And from there he had to make decisions as far as getting guys open or looking out for himself. But I thought he did a pretty good job of getting us into an offense and just passing the ball, getting guys open. That’s the reason why he won the assist title last year. So I think that might have been a discussion between the coaches and him, but from my point of view I think we allowed him to have the ball every single possession.”

That’s a measured response from Embiid, who I think nails it. Must have been a Doc Rivers issue. Only Harden really knows what he meant when talking about systems and leashes. We watched a player who hunted mismatches, picked out open players, and swung the ball around as a high-usage creator. If he wasn’t happy doing that for the Sixers, well guess what buddy, now you have to figure it out with three other ball-dominant players on the floor. It’s gonna be a disaster out there in LA.

Anyway, here are the full quotes if you wanna try to figure it out:

The full quote(s) from James Harden’s introductory presser with the Clippers where he mentioned being “on a leash” in Philadelphia and how he is a “system” on the court that ultimately appeared to have a disconnect with the coaching staff. pic.twitter.com/bzdILOyXhx

— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) November 2, 2023