Rumors of Harden leaving the Nets are rife. The American media "Open Air Grandstand Sports" has disclosed Harden's latest situation, and it is reported that Beard has told his close friends that he intends to enter the free market this summer and explore opportunities outside the Nets. From not ruling out the Nets before, to now intentionally exploring opportunities to join other teams, it seems that Harden's departure from the Nets is likely to increase.
If Harden really wants to leave the Nets, he's bound to get a lot of team pursuits this summer, but one of them isn't for him, and that team is Philadelphia. While the league's mainstream idea is that Harden will join Philadelphia next season, and Harden is known to believe that his combination with Embiid will succeed, in fact, if Harden does, the result may be worse than staying with the Nets.
The biggest factor influencing Harden and Embiid is character. As we all know, Harden and Embiid have serious self-inclinations, and many NBA stars have such personalities, but Harden and Embiid are very prominent two.
In the past, when playing for the Rockets, Harden and the superstars who have worked with both of them have deteriorated. This is true with Howard, and it is also true with Paul. Howard was still the league's number one center when he left the Lakers to join the Rockets, but this pair of optimistic internal and external combinations eventually broke up with Harden having unlimited firing rights and the Rockets management and coaching team repeatedly ignoring Howard. When working with Paul, Harden is the same, in the face of Paul's earnest teaching, Harden finally refused to accept, and even exposed that when Paul held the ball, Harden was outside the system, did not run, did not open space for Paul, and the super outside team also only briefly joined forces for a few years.
It should be pointed out that both Howard and Paul are much older than Harden, but they have not been able to gain enough respect from Harden. Now expect Harden and his junior Embiid to get along? It is more difficult, after all, Embiid is also a player with a serious self-orientation, and the teammates he has admired for so many years may only be the tough Butler, but Harden's style of play is completely opposite to Butler's.
As for Harden, perhaps only people whose partners are older, more capable, and close to him, such as Durant. But Embiid is clearly not such a player.
From the perspective of playing style, Harden and Embiid are also difficult to cooperate. Although Harden can play position warfare, the Rockets' several years of running and bombardment and the nets' fast and smooth play have long allowed Harden to adapt to a rapid offensive and defensive rhythm. Embiid has good mobility, but he is a center after all, and it is not realistic for him to shuttle back and forth like a small man. This season, Philadelphia's pace of only 96.35, ranking 27th in the league, is enough to explain the problem. And frequently fall into the position war, one is that Harden's power will have a great impact, more test his defense and confrontation; second, in the position war, if only Embiid plays auxiliary, so many years are also accustomed to being the boss of the team, he will inevitably lose his temper, at that time, the pair will inevitably have contradictions.
If Harden and Embiid are close-knit superstars who are both willing to sacrifice data for each other, then the two of them will have no problem joining forces. But both men's careers playing until now shows that neither of them is a player of this type.
Some people may say, what if Harden and Embiid are willing to sacrifice for the championship? Don't forget how many times Harden has said this in the past few years, and when he was traded to the Nets last season, Harden also said that one of the reasons he joined the Nets was to win the championship. But now that he's only played for more than a season, and after he missed the Finals due to injury in the Nets' playoffs, he's already moved his heart to leave, so any promises are meaningless.
At present, the Nets with Durant, Harden and Irving are still a big hit for the title, as long as the three people have one heart, the Nets still have a great chance to compete for the title, even if it is Durant and Harden, it is not without a chance. After all, this pair is no less than the combination of Harden and Embiid, not to mention that Philadelphia City manager Rivers must be better than Nash? If that had been the case, Rivers wouldn't have been off the Clippers.
Back to the topic of Harden wanting to explore opportunities beyond the Nets. He did this without reproach, after all, this is his choice, where to play happy, he should choose where to go. But given his previous experiences, if he really wants to win the championship, then joining forces with Embiid is definitely not a good choice.