Joel Embiid provided a bit of a scare to 76ers fans while sending many others into the land of hypothetical trades following his recent comments. But if the early reports and Embiid’s own response hold any weight, it may be safe to pump the brakes on the idea of a potential sequel to “The Process.”
It was a 15-word sentence from Embiid while discussing expectations going forward in his career with UNINTERRUPTED CEO and LeBron James's business manager Maverick Carter last week that first created the buzz. Philly's star big man was promoting the launch of his Miniature Géant Studio at the first annual UNINTERRUPTED Film Festival at NeueHouse Hollywood.
“I just want to win a championship—um, you know, whatever it takes. I don’t know where that’s going to be, whether it’s in Philly or anywhere else. I just want to have a chance to accomplish that. I want to see what it feels like to win that first one and then think about that next one. It’s not easy, but it takes more than one or two, three guys. You’ve got to have good people around you, and myself, you know, every single day I work hard to be at that level so I can produce and make it happen,” Embiid said.
After the comment began going viral, Embiid responded on social media while tossing a bit of cold water on the drama by hinting that he was trolling. To follow that up, The Athletic's Sam Amick dropped the latest noteworthy report.
Amick reported that a high-ranking Sixers source said neither Embiid nor his representatives have shared “any such message with the team.”
Going one step further, Amick also reported that the Sixers’ belief is that Embiid would “love” to follow the likes of Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki by staying with one team his entire career.
As for the question of whether Embiid might be trying to leave Philly anytime soon, a high-ranking Sixers source told The Athletic that Embiid or his representatives have not shared any such message with the team. In fact, the organization’s belief remains that Embiid would love to go the way of Dirk Nowitzki or Kobe Bryant and stay with one team for his entire career. The source was granted anonymity because these sorts of matters aren’t typically discussed publicly.
It doesn't appear that there's a major cause for concern for the Sixers and their fanbase just yet. Barring something unforeseen happening, the organization currently only needs to navigate one disgruntled star's trade request as they attempt to sort out James Harden's future.
