In just a matter of weeks, the Philadelphia 76ers have turned from Finals contenders into a dysfunctional mess.
The team recently lost in embarrassing fashion in the Eastern Conference semifinals and now face an uncertain future.
Head coach Doc Rivers was fired and there are rumors of James Harden ditching the team for his old squad, the Houston Rockets.
Although his talent would be missed, MVP Joel Embiid would be better off without Harden, according to Kendrick Perkins.
“I think he deserves better than James Harden,” Perkins said on Friday’s First Take.
.@KendrickPerkins believes Joel Embiid should want James Harden to walk 😳
“I think he deserves better than James Harden.” pic.twitter.com/eakNjx5VfD
— First Take (@FirstTake) May 19, 2023
Essentially, Perkins said that Embiid should be the star of the show and the one player that Philadelphia’s front office confers with about any major decision.
That clearly wasn’t the case recently, as Embiid was allegedly blind-sided by the firing of Rivers.
Instead, Perkins argues that Harden is the one who receives the most favor from the team’s management.
If he leaves for Houston, Embiid will be able to take control of this team and its future.
He could demand the front office trade for another star he wants to play alongside with.
He could also influence the search for a new coach.
Right now, it feels like things could go in either direction for the 76ers.
They could let Harden go, get some new stars to play alongside Embiid, and find a fresh coaching direction.
Or they could completely drop the ball in the summer and send the team further off-track.
If that happens, it won’t be much longer before Embiid himself demands a change of scenery.
With the upcoming departure of Harden and substantial changes on the horizon, the 76ers are both on the verge of greatness and also possibly on the verge of disaster.
NEXT:
Skip Bayless Has A Strong Opinion About James Harden
