"Club merchant was the problem": Joel Embiid and Co. going 4-1 without James Harden has Sixers fans hyped up

Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers are rolling high in the season. Since losing their opening game against the Milwaukee Bucks, they have won four straight games to go 4-1 in the season. Their last win came against the shorthanded Phoenix Suns, who played without Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.

Against the Suns, Embiid had 26 points and 11 rebounds. Kelly Oubre Jr. added 25 points, along with a double-double from Tobias Harris. Tyrese Maxey made two clutch three-point shots in the last minutes to seal the game.

Fans on X (formerly Twitter) took notice of the high-rolling 76ers and trolled Harden for the team’s lousy performance last season. Alleging that the team had a James Harden problem, one of the users commented:

“The club merchant was the problem.”

Joel Embiid answers to James Harden’s ‘unleash’ comments

After the trade to the LA Clippers, James Harden addressed the news surrounding him. He clearly voiced his displeasure about the opportunities that came to him as a member of the 76ers squad. Harden expressed dissatisfaction with the team because they had kept him “on a leash.”

In response to Harden’s comments, Joel Embiid addressed the media, saying that he didn’t think that his former teammate was right. While keeping his comments balanced, Embiid defended the team’s strategy, stating that the team gave him all the possessions.

"We fed him the ball in every single possession as he’s an incredible player. We entrusted him with the responsibility to make on-the-spot decisions for the team, considering his exemplary passing skills."

Joel Embiid also pointed out that Harden was the assist leader last season with the 76ers. It was only because they had trusted Harden to make the right decisions.

Now that Harden is in Los Angeles, questions are already arising about his fit with the team. Both Russell Westbrook and Harden are ball-dominant players. So, playing one of them off the ball would significantly reduce their overall production. Moreover, amidst his comments that he is not a system player, there are already concerns about his fit with Ty Lue.

However, it would be interesting to see how James Harden’s saga unfolds in LA. With four superstar players on the team, it would largely be seen as a bust if they don’t win the championship this season and Harden would have to take the heavy blame for it.