Cousins injury = huge payday for Philadelphia 76ers Joel Embiid?

The Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is having an incredible season. But the injury to Pelican’s center DeMarcus Cousins leaves Embiid on track for All-NBA player this year, and a super-max contract

Philadelphia 76ers contract negotiations with sophomore center Joel Embiid had plenty of financial incentives baked into a very lengthy contract. That contract stands as a five-year $148 Million deal for the star center. But many of the initial analysis of this deal looked at the protection to the team.

The penalties in the contract allow the team severability.  In shout, the team has protection in the case where old injuries cause Embiid to miss playing time.  In fact, the contract language focuses on Embiid’s pre-existing injuries ONLY.  Should Embiid play less than 1650 minutes in a single season, or miss 25 games, the team has an option to cut Embiid from the team and realize significant savings relative to the value of the entire contract.

Philly keeping family in the nest

In the end, it came down to Joel Embiid wanted to remain in Philadelphia, and Philly wanted to keep the star center who has elite potential. So the deal happened without a hitch

Re-signing center Joel Embiid to the team was priority number one. And the way the Philadelphia 76ers did so, with complex provisions for both the team and the player’s benefit is rather admirable.

Bonus baby

But the bonuses for Joel Embiid were not analyzed nearly as much. Should Joel Embiid earn the designation of “All-NBA First Team” or league MVP, he becomes eligible for a supermax deal, which converts his $148 Million deal into $176 Million.

So far this season, the Sixers center was competing with the lights-out year of New Orleans center DeMarcus Cousins. But Cousins suffered a devastating Achillles Tendon injury to his left ankle, and he will be out for the rest of this season.

He was having a career season playing alongside teammate Anthony Davis. Now, there is less competition for elite center designation in the NBA.

The cost of success

And that could cost the Philadelphia 76ers in a big way.  The contract signed by Joel Emiid and the Philadlephia 76ers did not simply protect the team from a recurring injury. Oh no. The contract added incentives for Embiid to excel.  In fact, the contract details by Sports Illustrated Dan Rappaport spell out how he can earn a supermax deal, thusly:

"“to make the All-NBA First Team or be named league MVP, he’d be eligible for a “supermax” deal, which would pay him $176 million.”"

That is a pay raise which averages $5.5 Million per season over five years.

How likely? Oh.. that good huh?

So from $148 Million to $176 Million? But what are the odds of that happening?  Well, the designation All -NBA is awarded by national sports writers voting for the best player at each position from each conference. The NBA cleaned up the bias voting of team-employed broadcasters, but there is still a requirement to fill one player per position per conference. And right now, the league is somewhat thin at elite centers. So much the better for Joel Embiid.

Oh. That’s how.

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And so, the maturing Joel Embiid is also rapidly becoming one of the three elite players needed for an NBA Championship. And in doing so, it’s only right that he be paid accordingly.  Right now, the Philadelphia 76ers sit on $70.5 Million for the 2018-2019 season, with three roster spots which need filled. Those three spots could already be slotted for center Anzejs Pasecniks, power forward Jonah Bolden, and small forward Mattias Lessort. Plus the team has up to six picks in the 2018 NBA Draft to consider as well.

Free Agency isn’t free

The Philadelphia 76ers have become players in the NBA Free Agency market once more.  But as expected, the track into signing “free agents” is anything but free.  This season, the Philadelphia 76ers committed $43 Million to retain the services of three NBA players: J.J. Redick, Amir Johnson, and Jerryd Bayless.  Of the group, Redick, Johnson, and Trevor Booker contracts expire at the end of this season.

But the team is in the upper tier of the NBA now. And as such, the challenge is not simply attracting talent, identifying talent, but affording talent. The team clearly has some decisions to make about the 2018-2019 roster.  But that is nothing compared to the challenge of the 2019-2020 season.  In that year, the team will need to retain or replace the likes of Bayless, Richaun Holmes, Justin Anderson, and T.J. McConnell.  So it simply does not get easier.

Price of success going up

Let’s face the economic reality here. As the Philadelphia 7ers improve, each player who has gotten the team better wants to be paid. And deservedly so.  So  new free agents must be measured for both their cost to the team and their expected production. Wouldn’t it be great to have a roster filled with all-stars?

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Just ask the Oklahoma City Thunder, a team once boasting Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, and James Harden how that turned out? So too, the Philadelphia 76ers have assembled a trio which could rival that of the Thunder in Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Markelle Fultz.  And at the moment, it seems that Embiid is arriving and Simmons is close behind. And if Embiid earns either MVP or All-NBA designation, he deservedly gets a huge payday for his efforts.  But the trick to success with this team may not be signing elite free agents like LeBron James.  The true path to an NBA Championship may be paying the elite talent already on the team.