Sixers' Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey Work Out With Celtics Star

The Philadelphia 76ers’ offseason might’ve been loaded with drama surrounding James Harden’s trade request, but it hasn’t fazed the team’s most notable players, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

As training camp inches closer, the standout guard and the star center have been in the gym working together along with the rival standout Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics.

Considering Embiid and Tatum have shared the same trainer for the last few years, it comes as no surprise the two have continued working on sharpening their skillsets on the court together during the summer before they put on rival uniforms once again.

unseen hours pic.twitter.com/bpspQwuYUP
— Drew Hanlen (@DrewHanlen) September 5, 2023

Just because I haven’t posted pics of Joel & Rese or JT & JB training together, doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened… https://t.co/cSOyEED5AX pic.twitter.com/NPJr3ZHEbO
— Drew Hanlen (@DrewHanlen) September 6, 2023

This season, Embiid has a lot to prove from a personal standpoint. Although he was viewed as a bit of an underdog going into the 2022-2023 NBA season since he lost the NBA’s MVP race two seasons in a row after being considered a finalist, the big man finally earned his most notable accolade, beating out the two-time MVP winner, Nikola Jokic, of the Denver Nuggets.

Now that the big man was finally crowned as the league’s best during the regular season last year, Embiid will have to follow up with another impressive performance in order to help his team achieve its goal of winning an NBA title.

Unfortunately, Embiid and the Sixers are once again set to battle through off-court drama. As the ten-time All-Star James Harden is reportedly expected to hold out from the Sixers as he awaits a trade, Embiid and Maxey are both focused on the task at hand, trying not to let the rumors blur their focus.

Early on in the offseason, Embiid addressed Harden’s trade request, making it known he was disappointed while having an understanding of the situation.

“I want him to come back,” Embiid said back in July. “Obviously, so we can go out and accomplish what we want, which is to win a championship. So, hopefully, his mindset can be changed. Other than that, I’m just happy to be his friend. We’re close, and we’ve grown since he got here, and that’s what I’m excited about. I’m excited to keep that friendship for the rest of our lives.”

Meanwhile, Maxey addressed the saga on his podcast, showing confidence in his team’s ability to avoid letting distractions affect their work.

“It’s crazy to say this, but it’s not our first rodeo,” Maxey said in late August. “That’s funny to say, but that’s life. … “You just have to kind of sit back and understand what he’s doing as a friend, but then as a teammate and someone as a part of an organization I’m with right now, you have to prepare for whether James is going to be there or not going to be there. That’s just the nature of it.”

By the looks of it, Embiid and Maxey remain in good spirits as they gear up for the next phase of the offseason.