Joel Embiid takes another subtle shot at Ben Simmons

Joel Embiid’s middle name might as well be “Savage” at this point.

Speaking with reporters this week, the Philadelphia 76ers star commented on the addition of former MVP James Harden to the team. Harden will be making his Sixers debut on Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

“It’s not going to be hard,” said Embiid of adjusting to Harden’s presence in the Philly lineup, per The Athletic’s Rich Hofmann. “We’re not talking about non-shooters or guys that are limited offensively. We’re talking about James Harden. You see what he did in Houston, whether it was scoring the ball and then going to Brooklyn and all the talent offensively.”

It does not take a rocket scientist to see that the “non-shooters” comment was a subtle swipe at Simmons, who was Embiid’s former co-star. Simmons is perhaps the single most notorious non-shooter in the NBA. His offensive limitations also arguably led to the souring of his relationship with Embiid.

For Embiid, who tried his best to make it work with Simmons during their five-plus years together, he has never been one to hold his tongue. Now that the two are no longer teammates, Embiid is definitely not holding his tongue about Simmons, as he has shown time and time again in recent weeks.

Photo: Jan 6, 2020; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) looks on during the second quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports