FORT COLLINS, Colo. — The NBA’s reigning Maximum Significance Participant, Philadelphia 76ers celebrity Joel Embiid, mentioned Thursday that he used to be glad James Harden used to be again with the crew and hadn’t been a distraction, however that the focal point for the 76ers on the pace is on putting in their ordinary offensive and defensive philosophies underneath fresh head trainer Nick Nanny.

“I don’t know,” Embiid mentioned, when requested what his expectancies had been for Harden’s degree of involvement transferring ahead later a 2d immediately apply that Harden participated in. “He’s practicing with us. That’s all we know.

“However we’re no longer excited about that. We’re excited about getting the offense in combination and protection in combination, understanding tips on how to play games in combination.

“As a team, we’re just focused on what we’ve got to learn, and learn as soon as possible. We don’t have a lot of time. We want to win, and that’s the goal.”

Not like Wednesday, when Harden used to be already out of the health club when the media used to be let into apply at Moby Enviornment right here at the campus of Colorado Condition College following his first participation in coaching camp, Harden used to be nonetheless in short at the courtroom getting up pictures when the media used to be let in Thursday.

He left the health club a couple of mins next, handiest to in the end go back, sit down and chat with longtime buddy and teammate P.J. Tucker sooner than escape the health club utterly.

Harden, despite the fact that, has led to deny problems up to now, with Embiid pronouncing that he hasn’t been any kind of distraction to his teammates – despite the fact that including that it’s a unique status, on a couple of fronts, than when Philadelphia discovered itself on this status with Ben Simmons two years in the past.

“I think this group is a little different than a couple years ago,” he mentioned. “[We have] a new coaching staff and everything that’s going on. I think, you know, it’s been easy [to focus]. I don’t think anybody has been distracted.”

Harden’s unsure involvement transferring ahead has handiest put extra force on Tyrese Maxey to whip any other step ahead in his playmaking skill – one thing Maxey mentioned previous this life used to be a excess precedence for him.

And, no less than during the first few days of apply, it sounds as if that paintings is paying dividends, with Embiid remarking about how inspired he’s been with Maxey’s passing in apply – permitting the fourth-year defend to doubtlessly observe via on a perceptible Embiid had for him again originally of the offseason.

“I told him right before the summer started, I just told him if you learn how to make those pocket passes, you’re gonna be an All-Star,” Embiid mentioned with a grin, sooner than including, “I’m gonna make sure you’re an All-Star.

“So I believe he’s been operating on his sport all summer time and he’s achieved a admirable activity. He’s were given a protracted approach to proceed. There’s gonna be a batch of demanding situations alongside the best way. It’s all about staying sure, particularly as a result of whilst you play games other groups and other schemes and you have got to determine it out at the fly, that’s withered. However we’re right here to assistance him.”