Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers shook up the NBA world this week when he made an off-handed comment about winning a championship in Philadelphia “or anywhere else.”
Was he just trolling or was he suggesting that he could be leaving the Sixers soon?
Chris Haynes believes it’s a bit of both.
Speaking on the “#thisleague UNCUT” podcast, Haynes opened up about Embiid’s mindset.
“In the trolling, I do believe there is some light that’s being shed a little bit. He’s finally cracking the door open to the possibility of leaving,” Haynes said.
He said that the words from Embiid “only add a little more urgency to the front office, to make sure they’re on their toes.”
Was Joel Embiid really just "trolling" about winning a title elsewhere or is there more to his comments? @ChrisBHaynes and @TheSteinLine discuss on the latest #thisleague UNCUT podcast.
FULL EPISODE: https://t.co/X8BDJ6DkyU pic.twitter.com/lZ3ayztLCO
— FOX Sports Radio (@FoxSportsRadio) July 21, 2023
Just “cracking the door open” should be enough to terrify Philly’s front office.
Maybe that was Embiid’s plan all along.
The reigning MVP has been through a lot since joining the league in 2016.
Multiple big-name stars and coaches have come – and gone – to the 76ers and yet they continue to fall short of their goals.
Of course, Embiid has been stellar often.
In fact, many people believe he just had his best season yet.
He produced 33.1 points and 10.2 rebounds a game and earned his first MVP trophy.
But Embiid’s skills weren’t enough as injuries and a tough conference once again dashed his playoff hopes.
Embiid goofs around a lot but he’s a smart man and he likely wants the 76ers to do whatever they must to build a stronger team around him.
They have a new coach, which is a start, but the roster is obviously still missing a piece or two.
Embiid wants that to change and it looks like his frustrations are growing.
NEXT: Grant Williams Talks About Scary Joel Embiid Incident During Playoffs
