Sixers: How does Rudy Gobert’s extension impact Joel Embiid?
Rudy Gobert’s contract extension impacts the Philadelphia 76ers and Joel Embiid.
Until this past season, Joel Embiid and Rudy Gobert were always neck and neck for the title of best defensive big man in the NBA, with Gobert always getting the better of the Philadelphia 76ers All-Star center. Now Gobert has signed a massive contract extension with the Utah Jazz, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN and there’s no doubt that it will impact Joel Embiid’s future.
To be clear, Gobert has two consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards, but Embiid is still the overall better player. Gobert has a slight edge defensively over the Sixers big man, but Embiid is arguably the dominant offensive big man in the league and certainly the best post scorer since Shaquille O’Neal.
With that being said, Gobert’s defense is elite and while $205 million over five years seems like an overpay, he meets the criteria for getting that paycheck. It’s also fair to say that Embiid is also worthy of a similar payday based on his skills (assuming he reaches the criteria for a supermax contract extension).
How Gobert’s deal impacts Embiid.
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Gobert’s deal is the most for a center in NBA history, per MacMahon. Entering this season, Embiid still has three years left on his current contract, but to be honest, that’s not that much time left. Philly’s big man can negotiation a new extension on his current in the 2022 offseason.
Assuming that Embiid makes an All-NBA team for the next two seasons, wins Defensive Player of the Year the season before he signs the extension, or wins MVP anytime from now until he signs the extension, then he would be qualified for a supermax extension.
At least one or two of those scenarios are very possible. If it does, it would put the 76ers in a tight financial bind. Paying Embiid that much while paying Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris max contracts is just too much.
It would force the Sixers to break up that trio. The obvious choice would be Harris, but he’s overpaid, so trading that contract might be too difficult. Moving on from Embiid or Simmons might have to happen if Embiid qualifies for a supermax extension.
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Luckily the Philadelphia 76ers have time to plan for this, but Gobert’s extension does make things more tricky for Embiid and the franchise in the future.