It has never been a secret that James Harden holds an enormous grudge against the Philadelphia 76ers and team president Daryl Morey for not granting him the lucrative long-term extension he was expecting after the 2022-23 season.

Joel Embiid has candidly addressed his non-existent relationship with James Harden after the Beard's Philadelphia 76ers exit.

Once upon a time, James Harden and Joel Embiid were teammates on the Philadelphia 76ers and made up the most dangerous pick-and-roll duo the NBA had seen in quite some time. The Sixers acquired Harden at the trade deadline during the 2021–22 season and watched as he helped elevate Embiid to his first league MVP trophy in 2022–23.