Earlier this season, James Harden got his way… again.
Harden wanted out of Brooklyn and he got just that when the Nets traded him to the Philadelphia 76ers.
In Houston, Harden came up short time and time again especially in 2019 when they lost to the Golden State Warriors.
When asked about pressure, Harden says he doesn’t feel any.
“I don’t [have anything to prove] … I don’t feel any pressure. I don’t feel any of that,” Harden said. “For me, it’s going out there and playing my game, trying to help my team win.” (Bleacher Report)
That answer is why everyone in Philadelphia should be worried. The Harden trade was supposed to be the answer to giving Joel Embiid a legitimate chance to win a title.
In 1982, the 76ers organization made a similar move when they went out and got Moses Malone to help Dr. J get his first and only title.
The problem is, Harden doesn’t feel a sense of urgency to get Embiid a ring. He doesn’t even feel a sense of urgency to get himself a ring. Is that the guy you want to depend on late in an elimination game in the playoffs?
The Sixers open out the playoffs against a well-coached Toronto Raptors team. If they win that series, it’s a 99.9% chance that they’ll face the Milwaukee Bucks.
To win both of those series, they need a Harden who is impactful on the floor but, even more than that, they need a Harden who feels a sense of urgency to win.
