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Details On Joel Embiid’s Contract Extension

October 10th, 2017 at 10:24pm CST by Luke Adams

Sixers center Joel Embiid officially signed a five-year, maximum salary contract extension this week. Based on the latest cap projections, Embiid would earn $146.45MM over the life of a standard five-year, maximum salary extension, assuming the default language remains unchanged. However, Embiid’s unusual agreement with Philadelphia could result in him earning significant more or less than that amount.

As Adrian Wojnarowski and Bobby Marks of ESPN explain, Embiid’s deal is “essentially guaranteed,” but offers the Sixers protection in the event that the young center suffers a major injury that’s related to one of his previous health problems.

Here are the highlights from Wojnarowski and Marks, who are themselves recapping the highlights from Embiid’s 35-page-plus contract:

If Embiid sustains a “contractually agreed upon injury” that results in him missing 25+ games or playing fewer than 1,650 minutes during a given season, the Sixers would have the option of waiving him and reducing the amount of overall guaranteed money he’s owed.
The specific injuries covered in the contract are related to areas that have problematic for Embiid in the past, like his feet and back. If he were to miss 25+ games with – for instance – a wrist injury, the Sixers wouldn’t have the option of releasing him for cost savings.
If Embiid were to suffer an injury that met the above criteria and the Sixers wanted to waive him, the team would still be on the hook for the following amounts:
- $84.2MM if waived after 2018/19.
- $98.2MM if waived after 2019/20.
- $113.3MM if waived after 2020/21.
- $129.4MM if waived after 2021/22.
If Embiid plays 1,650 minutes for three consecutive years – or for three out of four years (including 2017/18) – during the extension, the Sixers would lose their right to create cost savings by waiving him.
If Embiid earns First Team All-NBA honors or is voted NBA MVP in 2017/18, his starting salary to begin the extension would be worth 30% of the cap instead of 25%. Based on the latest cap projections, that would put the five-year value at $175.74MM.

Overall, while the agreement offers the Sixers some protection, it’s a very favorable deal for Embiid. He’s essentially guaranteed at least $84.2MM, and it would be shocking if he doesn’t earn more than that — the Sixers would have to waive him just one year into the extension for his earnings to be that low.

Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Porzingis, LeVert, Valanciunas

October 10th, 2017 at 8:44pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Sixers decided to take a risk as the franchise signed talented but oft-injured center Joel Embiid, to a five-year, maximum salary extension this week. It’s a lofty commitment to a player who has appeared in just 31 regular season NBA games in three years. However, it could also prove to be a steal if Embiid can stay healthy and match his output from last season, David Murphy of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes.

In 25.4 minutes per game last season, Embiid, 23, averaged 20.5 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 2.5 BPG. This season, Embiid will be a focal point on a Sixers team with highly-touted rookies (Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz), veterans (J.J. Redick). Murphy also notes that compared to centers such as Steven Adams and Timofey Mozgov, who signed lucrative deals, Embiid possesses a rare upside that could make a huge difference in Philadelphia.

Embiid has been limited in practice this preseason but is expected to make his debut versus Brooklyn tomorrow. It will be the first step in determining whether or not the Sixers’ franchise-altering signing was a mistake or a bargain.

Read about additional news from the Atlantic Division below:

Kristaps Porzingis has performed poorly in the preseason and was called out on it by MSG announcers on a hot mic. He’s also having trouble lifting his leg as he deals with a hip injury, according to head coach Jeff Hornacek. It’s a concerning start to the season for the man the Knicks view as a franchise linchpin, Zach Braziller of the New York Post writes.
Caris LeVert returned from an ankle injury to face the Knicks in the preseason and his energy, defense, and improvements impressed Nets officials, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes.
Raptors big man Jonas Valanciunas understands that the role of the center has evolved but he refuses to accept that it has been marginalized, Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun writes.

Joel Embiid Signs Max Extension With Sixers

October 10th, 2017 at 11:36am CST by Dana Gauruder

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.

Sixers Notes: Embiid, Saric, Covington, Fultz

October 10th, 2017 at 10:19am CST by Arthur Hill

Joel Embiid‘s teammates believe the Sixers made the right move by rewarding him with a five-year extension, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Embiid is slated to receive $148MM, but the value could go as high as $178MM if he meets certain criteria. There are also several salary cap protections to guard the organization against further injury for Embiid, who has played just 31 games in three seasons. “Have you seen him play? He’s a beast,” Ben Simmons responded when asked about the extension. “I can’t name one person that can stop him. Honestly, there’s nobody that can compete with him at his position. No one.”

Embiid is still recovering from “minor” surgery in March to fix a torn meniscus in his left knee. The Sixers were hoping to have him ready for the October 18 season opener, but rehab has been going well and Pompey suggests he may play in Friday’s preseason finale. Embiid’s last game before the surgery was January 27.

There’s more this morning out of Philadelphia:

Embiid’s cap hit for next summer will be either $25.2MM or $30.3MM, depending on whether he meets the qualifications for the 30% max, according to Derek Bodner of The Athletic. If Embiid is only at the 25% max, Philadelphia will have about $53.34MM in committed salary heading into next year’s free agent sweepstakes. That leaves roughly $47.6MM, but that figure will be reduced by draft picks and option decisions. The Sixers may have two first-rounders if they land the Lakers’ pick, and they have to determine whether to extend rookie-scale contracts for Jahlil Okafor ($6.3MM in 2018/19), Dario Saric ($2.5MM) and Justin Anderson ($2.5MM) by the end of October. Bodner writes that the Sixers are certain to pick up Saric’s option, but Okafor and Anderson are less definite. Philadelphia also has team options on T.J. McConnell and Richaun Holmes valued at $1.6MM each, but those don’t have to be addressed until June 29.
The team’s most important remaining salary decision involves Robert Covington, Bodner adds in the same piece. Starting November 15, Covington will be eligible to have his contract renegotiated or extended. He will become a free agent with a $3MM cap hold next summer if nothing is done.
Rookie guard Markelle Fultz may still be suffering the effects of a right shoulder injury, Pompey relays in a separate story. The first overall pick had to sit out Friday’s game and is shooting just 29.2% from the floor in the preseason. “I think his shoulder is affecting him more than he lets on,” coach Brett Brown said. “You can tell with his free throw, you know, trying to get that ball up. Its follow from his body. But he’s been working on just trying to get that thing rehabilitated.”

Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Hornacek, Holmes, Morris

October 9th, 2017 at 9:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Sixers could still have $40MM in cap space next season despite agreeing to a five-year, $148MM extension with center Joel Embiid, ESPN’s Bobby Marks points out. Embiid’s starting salary of $25.3MM is $7MM more than his $18.3MM cap hold for the 2018/19 season, Marks continues. Philadelphia still has just $57MM in guaranteed contract commitments for next season, Marks adds.

In other developments around the Atlantic Division:

The current Knicks roster puts head coach Jeff Hornacek in a no-win situation, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News argues. The front office has stressed improvement in effort and stops but recent acquisitions Tim Hardaway Jr., Michael Beasley, Enes Kanter and Doug McDermott won’t improve the defense, Bondy continues. Hornacek will have the unenviable task of trying to develop a system to mask those defensive shortcomings, Bondy adds.
Injured Sixers power forward Richaun Holmes doesn’t believe he’ll require surgery on his injured wrist, Jessica Camerato of NBC Sports Philadelphia tweets. Holmes suffered a non-displaced fracture in his left wrist during a preseason game on Friday.
Celtics forward Marcus Morris needs to drops about seven pounds and work on his conditioning but he plans to play the regular-season opener, A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston reports. Morris missed a portion of training camp while on trial in Phoenix for an assault charge. He was acquitted.
Forward K.J. McDaniels and Alfonzo McKinnie are likely fighting for the final spot on the Raptors’ opening-day roster, according to Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. There’s room for both but GM Bobby Webster has expressed a desire to leave a spot open, Smith continues. Raptors coach Dwane Casey told Smith and other media members that the competition between the two is close. “There’s right now no clear-cut favorite going into this week,” he said.

Atlantic Notes: Kanter, Noah, Okafor, Embiid

October 7th, 2017 at 9:23am CST by marksuleymanov

Enes Kanter, acquired in the deal for Carmelo Anthony, could be the Knicks‘ starting center when the season begins. The former Thunder big man has been an effective scorer and offensive rebounder but his lack of defensive ability could hurt his case, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes.

Kanter, 25, is in a three-man competition for the center job along with Willy Hernangomez and Joakim Noah. But there are only two people competing for the opening night job as Noah will be suspended 12 games due violating the NBA’s drug program. Kanter said he has lost 37 pounds since June to become quicker on defense and coach Jeff Hornacek — who acknowledged Kanter’s defensive shortcomings — believes his new center has shown improvements.

“The game has slowed down for him — I think he’s become better defensively on what teams are trying to do,’’ Hornacek said. “He didn’t play at Kentucky, [so] he was pretty raw his first year. Now he’s been around the league. He’s one of the best [true] centers in this league right now.’’

Kanter said he’s happy in New York and prepared for life after Oklahoma City. The Knicks open the season against the Thunder in OKC on October 19.

Check out other news around the Atlantic Division below:

Noah understands he will likely be a bench player for most of the season but feels he can still make an impact, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News writes.
Jahlil Okafor slimmed down by 20 pounds, improved his mid-range shooting, and his defense but the Sixers will likely trade their reserve center. Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes that keeping Okafor, for now, is smart since he is not drawing much value on the market and can still be productive.
Joel Embiid, who has yet to play in a preseason game, is one of the Sixers’ most valuable assets. As Bob Ford of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes, the team’s future as a winning franchise could hinge on whether or not Embiid gets healthy enough to become a fixture in the lineup.

Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Knicks, McKinnie

October 6th, 2017 at 5:09pm CST by Austin Kent

Healthy and, in his mind, ready to play in actual game situations, Sixers star Joel Embiid is itching to suit up for a preseason contest, Sarah Todd and Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer write. That may not necessarily happen soon, however.

“I would like to play preseason because last year it helped me get in a groove,” Embiid said.

The 23-year-old big man has been held out of the Sixers’ first two preseason games despite the fact that he’s been cleared for full-court, 5-on-5 action. The team has expressed a desire to work slowly with the center who played just 31 games last season and isn’t ready to pinpoint an exact return date yet.

In scrimmages through training camp, the 2016/17 Rookie of the Year candidate has shown what he’s capable of as a fearsome interior defender and sharp-shooting big man.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

With the Carmelo Anthony trade now in the rearview mirror, the Knicks are embarking on their own version of The Process, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. “You try to not sacrifice what you’re trying to do to build just to win some games. Obviously you want to win, but you have to find that balance,” head coach Jeff Hornacek said. “You can’t get frustrated. You got to keep the team going, and when teams are going through that process, it’s hard, but you got to stay positive.”
There are several big name additions to the Celtics but one of the team’s wildcards this year could be backup point guard Terry Rozier, A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston writes. The reserve will see an opportunity to shine in light of the trade that sent Avery Bradley to the Pistons.
A solid preseason has helped Alfonzo McKinnie make a case for staying with the Raptors through the regular season, Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun writes. The forward has looked far more advanced than perennial project Bruno Caboclo and will be able to be locked up at an affordable rate.

Atlantic Notes: Irving, Porzingis, Embiid

September 29th, 2017 at 7:28pm CST by Austin Kent

It hasn’t taken long for Kyrie Irving to gel with his new Celtics teammates, Marc D’Amico of the Celtics’ official website writes. The newly acquired point guard has made an effort to approach his new teammates on the bus and at practice in order to make the transition more comfortable.

Of course Irving’s performance has wowed a Celtics teammate or two as well. Through training camp, Irving has impressed Al Horford with his uncanny ability to finish shots and frustrated Terry Rozier with his slippery offensive game. “He’s a tough one to guard, probably one of the toughest guys I’ve ever had to guard in my life,” Rozier said.

After putting up 25.2 points and 5.8 assists per game in his final season with the Cavaliers, Irving will look to provide much-needed star power to a Celtics squad eager to take the next step toward contention. Irving may well be the player on the roster with the highest ceiling ahead of the 2017/18 campaign.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division tonight:

There was a strategic effort in place to keep Kristaps Porzingis from getting caught up in the trade rumors that involved him last summer. The Knicks forward recently told ESPN’s Ian Begley that his brothers – who double as his unofficial spokespeople – made sure to keep his attention on basketball.
There’s a coordinated song and dance that goes in to pulling off the perfect free agent signing. New Raptors general manager Bobby Webster spoke with Eric Koreen of The Athletic about how the club’s decision to trade DeMarre Carroll and Cory Joseph impacted their signing of C.J. Miles.
Despite the fact that he’s been busy playing basketball all offseason – thanks to EuroBasket 2017 – Dario Saric look as impressive as ever, Brian Seltzer of the Sixers‘ official site writes.
Second-year big man Joel Embiid has impressed teammates in his return to five-on-five action, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Embiid needs to get back into game shape, Robert Covington says, but has otherwise looked good.

Sixers Notes: Okafor, Backcourt, Simmons, Embiid

September 25th, 2017 at 1:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

GM Bryan Colangelo told reporters today he is not seeking trade offers for Jahlil Okafor, tweets Jessica Camerato of CSN Philly. A report surfaced last week that the Sixers were planning to call around the league in an effort to find a new home for the 21-year-old center, who has been beset by injuries and off-court problems during his two years in Philadelphia. The third pick in the 2015 draft, Okafor has averaged 14.7 points and 6.0 rebounds, but has appeared in just 103 games. The Sixers had advanced trade talks with the Pelicans and Bulls about Okafor before the deadline in February.

There’s more from media day in Philadelphia:

Okafor will probably be limited in camp because of knee problems, Colangelo adds, as will Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, who has tendinitis in his knee (Twitter link).
Colangelo also denied that he is working on a deal to thin out the team’s backcourt (Twitter link). The Sixers have a surplus of guards after drafting Markelle Fultz and signing J.J. Redick this summer.
After missing all of his rookie season while recovering from a broken foot, Ben Simmons heads into training camp with no medical restrictions, according to Derek Bodner of The Athletic (Twitter link). Simmons had surgery on a Jones fracture he suffered during training camp last year. Although there were reports during the season that he was close to returning, the Sixers decided the wisest move was to give him the entire year to recover. “I’m ready to go. 100%. Ready to play,” Simmons said today (Twitter link).
Joel Embiid hasn’t been cleared for five-on-five competition yet, but he is confident he’ll be ready when that happens (Twitter link). Embiid underwent season-ending arthroscopic surgery in March to fix a meniscus tear in his left knee. He said two or three scans have been conducted on the knee since the operation and all have looked perfect. “I feel great,” Embiid said. “The past couple of months since the surgery I’ve been working pretty hard on my rehab.” (Twitter link). He adds that his target date to return is opening night, and he may not play during the preseason unless doctors decide he is fully ready (Twitter link). Embiid said he would like to play a complete season, but “I’ll be honest, I’m not playing 82 games.” (Twitter link). He also denied accusations that he is refusing to take part in five-on-five games until the team gives him an extension on his rookie contract. Embiid admits that he has little leverage because of his injury history, but emphasizes that he wants to play (Twitter link).

Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Fultz, Caboclo, Hornacek, Ntilikina

September 23rd, 2017 at 10:59am CST by marksuleymanov

Joel Embiid gave the Sixers a glimpse of the impact he could have on the court last season, averaging 20.2 PPG and 7.8 RPG. However, injuries once again limited Embiid as he appeared in just 31 games due to a torn meniscus in his left knee. During a media lunch. Sixers general manager Bryan Colangelo and coach Brett Brown discussed their oft-injured forward and gave contradicting statements, Mike Sielski of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes.

Brown said that Embiid has yet to play in a five-on-five scenario but also added the team will “soon” know if and when he will do so. Then, Brown and Colangelo refused to give a clearer update on Embiid’s future in terms of his involvement — or lack thereof — in training camp or the preseason. Then, Colangelo provided a statement that contradicted itself within seconds.

“It’s not about being ready for the first practice or the first game,” Colangelo said. “And he will be out there on the first practice and the first game. The question is how much, how little, if at all.”

Embiid is not the only injured Sixer as last year’s first overall pick, Ben Simmons, is also looking to return to full health.

Below you can read more news from the Atlantic Division:

2017 first overall pick Markelle Fultz will start his NBA career with head-to-head matchups against John Wall and Kyrie Irving. As he acclimates to the NBA, Sixers coach Brown said he will stress defense on the young guard, David Murphy of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes.
Bruno Caboclo has intrigued management with his size and shooting but questions about his mental maturity remain, Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun writes in his last Wozbag.
Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek noted that the team’s current roster will not utilize the triangle offense that former team president Phil Jackson mandated, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News writes.
Knicks general manager Scott Perry expects first-round pick Frank Ntilikina to be part of a “healthy competition” for starting point guard, Bondy writes in a separate story.