Joel Embiid has been synonymous with the city of Philadelphia since being drafted No. 3 overall by the 76ers in 2014, but the drama surrounding James Harden may be causing a rift between the club and reigning NBA MVP.
Astute social-media watchers noticed Embiid has removed Philadelphia from his official location on his Twitter profile.
NBACentral @TheDunkCentralJoel Embiid removed "Philadelphia" from his location 😬 <a href="https://t.co/s7BDZeI6iq">pic.twitter.com/s7BDZeI6iq</a>
On Saturday, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Sixers ended trade talks involving Harden and were going to bring him back for the start of training camp.
Harden decided to double down on his desire to get out of Philadelphia by calling 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey a "liar" and he "will never be a part of an organization that he's a part of."
Tomer Azarly @TomerAzarlyJames Harden on his China tour: "Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he's a part of. Let me say that again. Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he's a part of." 😳 <a href="https://t.co/oaqVjXkax6">pic.twitter.com/oaqVjXkax6</a>
Harden opted in to the final season of his two-year, $68.8 million contract signed last offseason with the purpose of working with the 76ers to find a trade, per Wojnarowski.
If Harden had opted out, Philadelphia could have offered him a four-year deal worth up to $210.1 million. His leverage seemed to dissipate once the Houston Rockets, who had long been connected to him, pivoted in a different direction that saw them sign Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks.
The Los Angeles Clippers have been Harden's preferred destination, but Noah Levick of NBC Sports Philadelphia noted talks with the Sixers "never got close" because Philadelphia wants to maximize its championship odds for next season.
Embiid's long-term future in Philadelphia has been a talking point since the team's season ended with a second-round playoff loss to the Boston Celtics.
The six-time All-Star added to the speculation when he said his goal is to win a title "whether it's in Philly or anywhere else" during a July 16 interview with Maverick Carter.
AJ Torres @ajtorres1230Was not expecting Joel Embiid to say "or anywhere else" when talking about championships… He's close to his breaking point here in Philly. <a href="https://t.co/0MqXX1rnrT">pic.twitter.com/0MqXX1rnrT</a>
It would seem highly unlikely anything happens between the 76ers and Embiid immediately. The 2023-24 season marks the first year of his four-year, $213.3 million contract signed in September 2022.
If things don't go well for the Sixers during the upcoming season, it wouldn't be a surprise if Embiid were to seek a trade next offseason.
In nine seasons with the 76ers, Embiid has averaged 27.2 points and 11.2 rebounds per game. He became the franchise's first MVP winner since Allen Iverson in 2000-01.
Despite Embiid's individual success, the Sixers haven't advanced beyond the second round of the postseason since the 2000-01 team lost in the NBA Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers.
76ers' Joel Embiid Removes Philadelphia from Social Media amid Harden Trade Rumors - Bleacher Report
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