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USA Today via Reuters

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USA Today via Reuters

James Harden brought alive the phrase, ‘expect the unexpected’. The Beard put the trade deadline on his back as he made his way to the Philadelphia 76ers to team up with Joel Embiid. With Philly already finding success without much help to Embiid, the addition of Harden should elevate them to one favorite for the crown. Furthermore, NBA analysts and players are not expecting anything less.

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While talking to Max Kellerman, Jay Williams said Harden better win a championship now that he got the trade he wanted.

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Harden has been on the end of a few trades over the past few seasons. And they have all come in a controversial way. With the Houston Rockets, Harden took a hostile approach and went after his team to force his way out. Once he got to his favorable destination, a year later he didn’t like his situation with the Nets. Now, James is once again in a place where he wants to be. Hence, Williams expects him to win it all, otherwise, fans won’t have the best memory of him.

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Jay Williams keeps the ultimate challenge for James Harden

While on the show KJM, Williams took up the topic of the recent blockbuster trade. Jay spoke about how Embiid is having an MVP caliber season despite having an injury. Hence, he has only one expectation from Harden, and that is to win himself a championship with Embiid. Otherwise, Williams believes fans won’t remember him for his skill but for the way he got his way out of teams.

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He said: “The fact that now he is with Joel Embiid who is having an MVP caliber year coming off a hamstring injury, like he better win a championship. Because if you don’t, your legacy is going to be more about ‘look at all the teams, look at how he has treated everybody, look at all these teams he has left.”

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USA Today via Reuters

Williams did say that he will remember him as one of the most prolific scores in basketball history. However, for a normal fan, it won’t be the best image on Harden. For the second time in a year, Harden has got his desirable team. Moreover, he is once again teamed up with a top MVP candidate in Joel Embiid. Hence, it isn’t surprising to see the high expectations.

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READ MORE: Deandre Ayton, Who Smashed Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Bucks, Almost Got Traded to Unexpected Destination

To Williams’ point, this move could be a potential deciding factor to Harden’s legacy. The Beard is yet to get himself a ring, and he has tried it all. With the Rockets, he got the players he wanted to play with and now, he is on the team he wants to be. So the pressure for James Harden to deliver is more than anything right now.

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Do you think he will lead the Sixers to a championship? Let us know in the comments below.

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Anuj Talwalkar

4,464 Articles

Anuj Talwalkar is a senior NBA Newsbreak specialist at EssentiallySports, trusted for his real-time coverage and fast, accurate updates on league developments. With five NBA seasons and two Olympics coverages under his belt, Anuj stands out as the go-to reporter for the NBA Matchday Newsdesk. As part of the EssentiallySports Journalistic Excellence Program, he continuously refines his hard reporting with grounded storytelling shaped by fan culture and court-level insights. An economics graduate and lifelong OKC fan since the Supersonics era, Anuj combines analytical thinking and a genuine passion for basketball. He’s recognized for both his live news coverage and feature writing, with aspirations to someday interview Russell Westbrook. Anuj’s reporting is marked by its reliability, depth, and strong connection to the pulse of the NBA.

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