Speculation has begun regarding the future of the Philadelphia 76ers‘ Joel Embiid after the star centre conducted an interview recently, declaring his desire to win a championship, “whether it’s in Philly or anywhere else.”
The interview took place with SpringHill Entertainment CEO Maverick Carter on Thursday at the UNINTERRUPTED Film Festival at NeueHouse Hollywood.
“I just want to win a championship. Whatever it takes,” Embiid said. “I don’t know where that’s gonna 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 you can think about the next one.
“It’s not easy, but it takes more than one or two, three guys. You got to have good people around you. … Every single day, I work hard to be at that level so I can produce and make it happen. So, every single day, I’m working towards that goal.”
Embiid, 29, has played seven seasons for the Sixers, during which time he has been an NBA All-Star six times, while being named as the league MVP in 2023. During that time, the team has never made it past the second round of the playoffs.
After getting knocked out by the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Sixers have already made some changes over the off-season. They brought in former Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse to replace Doc Rivers and added veteran guard Patrick Beverley plus centre Mo Bamba. However, it has been reported star shooting guard James Harden has requested a trade.
“Disappointed, but then again it’s business,” said Embiid when asked by Showtime’s Rachel Nichols how he felt about hearing that Harden wants out. “People make decisions and I’m more appreciative of how he’s handled the whole situation. … (I) want him to come back obviously so we can go out and accomplish what we want, which is to win a championship. Hopefully, his mindset can be changed.”
Embiid is about to begin the first year of a four-year extension that will pay him an average of $53 million per season.