Joel Embiid discusses the challenge of winning an NBA championship ‘whether it’s Philly or anywhere else’

Embiid says of his quest for an NBA title at a film festival, “I like the challenge, but it can be frustrating at times,” and explains why. Is he sending a message to the Sixers?

76ers center Joel Embiid sits on the bench late in the fourth quarter in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Boston Celtics on May 14.Read moreYong Kim / Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

by Keith Pompey

Published Jul. 17, 2023, 11:33 a.m. ET

Is Joel Embiid sending a message to 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and the organization? Or is the league MVP just saying that he could one day play for another team?

Whatever the case, Embiid’s comments to Maverick Carter during Thursday’s UNINTERRUPTED Film Festival in Los Angeles caught people’s attention.

Carter, a sports-marketing businessman and media personality, asked the six-time All-Star center what we can expect from him moving forward.

“I just want to win a championship, whatever it takes,” Embiid said. “I don’t know where that’s going to be. Whether it’s 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, then think about the next one.

“It’s not easy, but it takes more than one or two, three guys. You’ve got to have good people around you. Myself, 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. That’s where my mindset has always been. MVP is just an added bonus.”

However, Embiid attempted to walk back his “anywhere else” comment Monday on Twitter.

He quote-tweeted “Buddy Check my middle name” from his account, Joel “Troel” Embiid, in response to @CatchallOtherBin’s Twitter response, “I’d like to win a championship in philly or somewhere else. The somewhere else was unnecessary tbh [to be honest].”

Embiid also tweeted, “I’ve lost my place as best troll here though and it went to @dmorey” while speaking of Morey.

The Sixers’ franchise player told Carter that winning the MVP was amazing. He added that an NBA title is something he has to work hard for, though.

In six consecutive postseason appearances, the Embiid-led Sixers have yet to make it out of the second round. They suffered second-round exits in each of the last three seasons along with 2018 and ‘19. The Sixers were swept in the first round by the Boston Celtics in 2020. Embiid was dealing with at least one injury in five of the six postseasons.

“I like the challenge, but it can be frustrating at times,” he said, “because over and over and over — same things. … There is never any continuity. All my years in the league, I feel like every single year, it’s always been like different teams. It’s always been change.

“But I do like that challenge. It doesn’t matter who’s on my team. I just want to go out and try to do the best job possible to put us in a position to win.”

Embiid has had a revolving-door postseason supporting cast that has included Ben Simmons, Jimmy Butler, JJ Redick, Robert Covington, Dario Šarić, Markelle Fultz, Marco Belinelli, Ersan Ilyasova, Josh Richardson, Al Horford, Dwight Howard, Seth Curry, Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, and James Harden.

Maxey, Harris, and Harden are currently his costars. However, Harden has asked to be traded. His desire is to play for his hometown Los Angeles Clippers.

If Harden, the team’s best ball handler and facilitator, leaves, the Sixers would once again lose a lot. Opposing teams are reluctant to trade for him because of Morey’s steep asking price.

Meanwhile, teams — primarily the New York Knicks — are monitoring the Sixers’ situation with the hope that Embiid will ask for a trade. The Knicks have stockpiled first-round picks to include in a deal.

Next season will mark the first season of Embiid’s $213.2 million contract extension.