76ers Ink Embiid to Monster Contract

Earlier this week, the Philadelphia 76ers took an enormous leap of faith as they extended Joel Embiid, their oft-injured big man, an olive branch. Embiid and the 76ers agreed upon a 5 year/$148 million-dollar extension that could reach $178 million if the big man qualifies for the super-max, meaning either he is named to an All-NBA Team or is either the Defensive Player of the Year or Most Valuable Player within the final two years of the contract.

If he reaches those incentives, he’s is worth it, no question, but that is precisely where the conundrum lies. Embiid has played in 31 games in three years in Philadelphia. He hasn’t proven that he can stay healthy, in fact it’s quite the opposite. The concern here is that Embiid will be unable to stay on the court and thus his contract will become an albatross.

The 76ers didn’t have to act as quickly as they did. They had Embiid’s rights through next season and then after that he would be a restricted free agent, meaning that they had the rights to match any offer that was made to him. No offer could have exceeded the super-max that they agreed to, so all that they really gained with this early extension is assurance that they have a harmonious Joel Embiid this season. But based on his personality, and track record, it’s hard to imagine Embiid any other way. I would have preferred for the 76ers to offer him a discounted deal, perhaps 4 years/$80 million, with health incentives built in so they would not cripple the franchise if Embiid’s injury riddled past continues on into the future. There is no question that Joel Embiid possesses superstar potential. At his size there are very few players, if any, that can do what he does; he just needs to stay healthy. The 76ers have gambled that he will; only time will tell.