Joel Embiid couldn't help but be “disappointed” over James Harden's trade request from the Philadelphia 76ers, though he emphasized he understands the business side of the NBA. He also shared his hope that a potential resolution with The Beard is still possible.

Harden decided to pick up his $35.6 million player option with the Sixers, but he has no intention of staying in Philly. Instead, he and the team are reportedly working to ship him out of the city.

Of course Embiid has heard about all the chatter and Harden's situation, and he didn't hold back in sharing his thoughts when Rachel Nichols of Showtime asked him about it.

“Disappointed. But then again, I also understand, it's business. People make decisions and I'm more appreciative of the way he's handled the whole situation. You know, we're going to be boys forever. [I] want him to come back obviously, so we can go out and accomplish what we want, which is to win a championship. So hopefully, his mindset can be changed. But other than that, I'm just so happy to be his friend,” Embiid shared.

The Sixers haven't made much progress in trading James Harden, with the team said to be asking for too much in any deal for him. However, it's also worth noting that team president Daryl Morey is still hoping to bring him back and continue his partnership with Joel Embiid in their bid to make the NBA Finals and actually win the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

Despite the whole situation, though, it's clear the Embiid and Harden's relationship haven't changed. That's definitely a good thing, especially if they end up playing together again.