Earlier this evening, one of the most fascinating contracts in the NBA got signed between the 23 year old center, Joel Embiid, and the Philadelphia 76ers. All parties involved hope this deal ensures a superstar plays for Philly for the foreseeable future.
The Philadelphia 76ers and Joel Embiid guaranteed their continued existence until the 2022-2023. Adrian Wojnarowski confirmed a five-year $148 million contact between the Sixers and The Process was completed.
There are too many implications in this signing to go into great detail right now, as more tidbits will start trickling out. Zach Lowe reported via Twitter – Embiid’s extension has been described to him as “perhaps the most complex” in NBA history. So lets take a quick look at the deal from two perspectives Joel Embiid’s and the 76ers’.
Joel got some stability
As per Chandler Parsons’ Instagram, Joel Embiid is a little hyped about the signing.
https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/917512681153716225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fbleacherreport.com%2Fphiladelphia-76ers
Besides the many zeros to be added to his bank account, Joel inking his extension now ensures he has a stable home in Philadelphia. In his three years since being drafted, Joel has known nothing but calamity. Between three season ending injuries and all the other factors that have been discussed ad nauseum, the environment Joel has been living could not be described as steady. Additionally, based on this past off season, restricted free agency, waiting until 2018 would yield nothing but uncertainty, especially being in the center market. (Just look at what happened to Nerlens).
Overall, I can’t see why Joel would not be anything less than ecstatic about his new contract. I think everyone is hoping he lives up to it because the NBA and the internet at large are both a whole lot more fun with a healthy, dominating Joel Embiid.
The 76ers take a calculated, necessary risk
If you want to know what Joel Embiid means to the 76ers on the court, just listen to his coach Brett Brown. Joel has no better hype man Brett. The word prodigy comes mind when you hear the way Brett speaks about him.
Brett Brown on Joel Embiid: "He does things on the court that remind me of somebody who is able to hear music and just play the song." pic.twitter.com/5eeVFPZqok
— Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) October 9, 2017
The Center’s play backs up the effusive praise. The Sixers were undoubtedly a winning basketball team with Joel on the court. Every night becomes must see televions. One can understand the draw to ensure the center stays in Philadelphia for the long term. However on its face, $148 millon to a player who participated in only 30 games is unfathomable. But as it is being reported the Sixers protected themselves against injury.
These provisions are the most important aspects of the deal for the Sixers. They are very much justified salary provisions and salary cap protections. According to Shams Charania, only 50 percent of the money in the contract is guaranteed. Undoubtedly we may get confirmation on other injury stipulations as well. As Kyle Nuebeck noted on Twitter, with only half the contract guaranteed, catastrophic injuries would mean Embiid’s contract would look much like the Joakim Noah deal with a upside that is much higher, to say the least.
Obviously, this would be an awful scenario for all parties involved if the injury bug strikes again. But it looks much nicer than having $100-plus million in dead money. The Sixers would be paying him longer than the Pistons are paying Josh Smith.
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With the necessary precautions put into place, I think the Sixers are making a calculated risk they must take. One could argue the risk of a healthy Embiid leaving for another team would be too much for anyone in Philadelphia to handle. The city has dealt with the loss of him to an injury, but not the pain of him defeating the hometown team. Instead with the contract in place, the Sixers and the City of Brotherly love will have to continue trusting the process.