It’s hard to discuss the Philadelphia 76ers’ long-term future without mentioning their payroll. The 76ers have a unique blend of younger and older talent that will keep them competitive for years. However, Joel Embiid and Paul George’s lucrative contracts could become a thorn in Philadelphia’s side that prevents it from being a legitimate contender.
Bleacher Report writer Eric Pincus – general manager of Sports Business Classroom – ranked the 76ers’ salary cap situation as the worst in the NBA.
“The 76ers hit last offseason with more flexibility than any team in the league, " Pincus said. “Unfortunately, the investment in Paul George looks to be a significant miscalculation. George's game has declined due to injury; Joel Embiid's health is a significant question mark. Very quickly, the franchise became over-leveraged with a mediocre roster.”
Embiid and George’s contracts are massive
The 76ers handed Embiid a three-year, $193 million maximum contract extension before the 2024-25 season, which will kick in this year. He’ll be Philadelphia’s highest-paid player in the upcoming season with an annual $55.2 million salary that increases for the next two seasons. Embiid has a $67.2 million player option for the 2028-29 season, in which he’ll turn 34 years old.
George is entering the second season of his four-year, $212 million contract, which will pay him $51.7 million this year. He has a $56.6 million player option for the 2027-28 season and will be Philadelphia’s second-highest-paid player until then. George will be 37 years old when his player option comes into play.
Spotrac projects Embiid and George to accumulate a combined $281.5 million in the remaining years of their respective deals – excluding player options. Their combined salaries will occupy more than 65% of Philadelphia’s payroll until the conclusion of the 2026-27 campaign.
Meanwhile, the former all-stars were available for a total of 60 games last season.
This is not ideal
Embiid and George are rehabilitating from respective arthroscopic procedures and their status for training camp is to be announced. Given the duo’s extensive injury history, their contracts may arguably be the worst in the NBA in the coming years.
Philadelphia has quietly developed one of the better young cores in the league, featuring Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, V.J. Edgecombe, Justin Edwards, and Adem Bona. If Embiid and George continue to regress, their contracts could financially handicap the 76ers, preventing them from fully investing in their long-term outlook.
Philadelphia acquired George with a win-now mentality, which was the right approach. His and Embiid’s salaries would be more tolerable if they could stay relatively healthy and impactful. However, with how quickly the 76ers deteriorated last season because of their unavailability, it’s hard for fans to be optimistic about their presence.