OCTOBER 10, 11:36am: The extension is official, the team announced on Twitter. We should soon find out more specifics on the deal, which was described to ESPN’s Zach Lowe as “perhaps the most complex” in NBA history (Twitter link).
OCTOBER 9, 4:45pm: The Sixers and center Joel Embiid have agreed on a five-year, $148MM designated rookie scale max extension, league sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
This ends all the speculation regarding Philadelphia’s commitment to the supremely talented but oft-injured big man. Embiid missed the first two seasons of his career because of foot injuries and only appeared in 31 games last season before he was sidelined by a knee injury that required surgery. Ultimately, the franchise’s brass felt comfortable locking up Embiid, rather than waiting to see if he could remain healthy for a full season.
In fact, the contract could even be richer than that, as Wojnarowski explains in a subsequent post. Embiid could potentially earn millions of dollars more if he meets certain criteria, including making All-NBA teams or winning the Most Valuable Player award. If Embiid meets the ‘Super Max’ criteria, he could earn an as much as $178MM, league sources told Wojnarowski.
The Sixers will have some cap protections should Embiid sustain an injury that would cause him to miss significant time, Wojnarowski adds.
Embiid underwent season-ending arthroscopic surgery in March to fix a meniscus tear in his left knee. He has yet to appear in a preseason game, as the Sixers are taking a cautious approach.
Prior to the injury, he showed the ability to be a future All-Star. He averaged 20.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG and 2.5 BPG in 25.4 MPG. He would have easily led all rookies in those category if he played enough games to qualify.
Sixers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo told the media last month that he was cautiously optimistic concerning Embiid’s extension talks. The two sides had until October 16 to reach an agreement and they beat the deadline by a week. If they hadn’t come to terms, Embiid would have been a restricted free agent next summer.
Had to be done. Hopefully they have some injury protections. He has superstar written all over him. High risk, high reward
There is
I don’t see the rush to do it now. Having another season before he becomes a restricted FA means that next year they can match and, I think, beat any offer someone might extend. Why not see what he does this season?
Embiid is “the process” in Philly. Signing him now is a leap of faith. I doubt he stays healthy long enough to justify his contract though. Simmons is the real deal, but they’re a fourth seed roster (at best) in the East, which amounts to nothing.
Yea, just my gut… but Ryan Howard 2.0 for us. Without giving us a championship.
Howard contract was afterward
Afterward what? When Howards contract kicked in he played 2 half seasons, never lived up to half the value of that contract. The line of monday morning qb-ing is they extended him too soon. Sixers could have waited another year to ser IF he even plays a fullish season. Do you guys need a direct NBA comp? Andrew Bynum. Money probably stolen. I really hope I am wrong bc I am a fan, but gut is prepared to be kicked by a mule.
Pretty much.
I’m saying it was well after the world series championship they won
He was extended in 2010 they won in 2008
Meaning the extension had nothing to do with the championship, as you suggested, unless I misunderstood
If this doesn’t work out LMAO
How good or bad this move is depends on the cap protections for if he gets injured
Duhhh!
Deserves this contract more than a lot of players even if he’s on a minute restriction. Also getting mad at a player for being injured is the dumbest thing ever. That’s like calling someone stupid for getting cancer.
Seems to me like they’re more mad that he could get hurt and leave the 76ers with a huge contract on the books rather than mad at him for being injury prone.
The tethering begins.
Comparing embiid contract to Ryan Howard is ridiculous. Did Colin Cowherd post that comment.
How is it ridiculous? The only difference is that we Know Embiid has a problem getting on the floor. They could have waited until next year and signed him to the same contract but found out if he is ever going to play at least 50 games.
There are significant differences, other than just the different sport…
Howard was signed to a massive extension when he still had muptiple years left on his contract, for no reason, and when he was already older…and he played a position, badly, that isn’t very valuable.
I personally would have offered Embiid less than the max, and told him that if he doesn’t take it, that’s cool, but they’ll likely match whatever it is in RFA. He just has to go out there and play the whole season. Put it in a way where there aren’t hard feelings. I’m sure even Embiid realizes the risk factor is crazy. He’s clearly a max player if he stays on the floor, but hes only played 31 games
What comparison is there other than the city?
There is nothing remotely similar in the deals from level of bargaining power, to differences in sports and caps. Horrible attempt at a comparison.
You people are some sort of special. I’m sure your mother’s love you at least. Holy cow a different sport? A different Cap system? Sixers still had control of Embiid future without the extension. You play this show me year out. Pure and simple, he performs you bring him back under the big deal, he is injured you see what happens with offers. Howard had 2 years left of control. The only difference is Howard was healthy at the time and was injured for the 1st 2 seasons of the contract. Here we have a guy we know can’t stay healthy, given an extension a year early. You learn from past mistakes. If he is healthy this year and is great you give him that contract, he gets hurt oh well luck of the draw you’re not a total idiot for reupping him as a GM. However you extended him now and he doesn’t last this season even, well dust off your resume.
I legitimately can’t tell if you’re talking about Ryan Howard the baseball player or if you’ve been getting Dwight Howard’s name wrong.
Seeing as this is all Philly related, I guess we are talking about the baseball player? I don’t get how repeating the words “different sport” and “different cap” with a question mark was supposed to be a rebuttal to that discussion point, but whatevs I’m not confused anymore.
I don’t know if its true but I read on another site that they wouldn’t have been able to add the non guaranteed part of the contract if he was a restricted free agent. If that is true then they had to do it now or guarantee the whole thing next year.
It depends on how much is or isn’t guaranteed. I’ve heard reports that as much as 50% isn’t guaranteed. I don’t know what the parameters of that are. If it’s something like that, it’s a totally different situation than him getting the full max at this stage
With the current cap projection of 101 million for 18/19 Embiids extension will work at at $146.45MM (25% max) or $175.74MM (30% “supermax” aka Rose Rule)
dumb move…never played a complete season….hope they put a ton of insurance on him.
That is a lot of money to invest in potential. His ceiling is as high as anyone out there, but damn. But I guess when you look at some of the other contracts that have been signed, this somehow makes sense.
I don’t see the rush to do it now. Having another season before he becomes a restricted FA means that next year they can match and, I think, beat any offer someone might extend. Why not see what he does this season?
Wow. If he stays healthy he’s 100% worth it though. He has skills that no other center currently in the NBA has. I hope he can stay healthy, he’s fun to watch.
Demarcus Cousins?
Cousins can’t defend the way Embiid can
People are absolutely right, you should not compare this to Ryan Howard. Ryan Howard actually proved something before his extension. He was an MVP and a ROY. Embiid is neither. This is more akin to the Pirates extension of Jose Tabata. He got a big extension after half a season in which he looked pretty good. Then he sucked the rest of the time.
Or Cardinals with Allen Craig. Or Cardinals with Kolten Wong. Or Cardinals with Matt Carpenter. Or Cardinals with Stephen Piscotty…. I could go on but I’ll stop -_-
All of those guys had significant time before signing their deals, with the exception of Piscotty
There’s Colangelo getting ready to kill another organization. How you give a guy who has played 31 games in three seasons that much is lunacy. What will come first, 138 games, or $138M?
Yes, I agree that Embiid could be a megastar, but Bowie, Sampson, Oden, Ming, etc. There are so many future all-star bigs that have failed because of injury as examples that counting on a long and healthy career from Embiid is crazy.
Trust The Process
No longer can say Trust the Process. A real trust the process would have been taking a discount, subtracting the 2.5 years money from this contract extension or some kind of discount for dealing with it all as much as the fans have. Giving the team more flex when he gets injured again to get a player. But no, greedy NBA player, just like the rest. That’s the fan romanticism in me, business side knows no one takes discounts.
Based on everything Embiid had said in recent months, you can’t blame him for taking what he was offered
No agent is going to settle for less money, it means they get less and potentially fewer future clients or guys switching agents. Players say a lot of things, the only guys taking a discount already made a ton of money like Duncan.
I meant about him talking about how he understood why it’s a difficult situation…it sounds like he did actually negotiate a significantly unprecedented non guaranteed amount. We can’t really say anything until we know about that..
Hopefully he plays at least 70 games this season
I’m personally shocked by this contract. You’re paying someone hoping he can stay healthy which he hasn’t been able to do for the few seasons he’s in the NBA. I get it that the talent is there but he can’t stay healthy. Lot of money to give to someone who can’t stay on the floor for even half the season so far.
He is probably not that injury-prone; the Sixers have probably been coddling him.
But also probably, the coddling is not over.
Whatever, this is the path already chosen.