The Philadelphia 76ers made NBA history once they handed superstar Joel Embiid a three-year, $193 million maximum contract extension.
This record became possible after Philadelphia's front office signed veteran star Paul George to a four-year, $212 million deal, as the Sixers became the first team in league history with two teammates to earn a combined one billion dollars in their careers. This assumes George and Embiid will each play out their contracts in Philadelphia through the end of the 2028 and 2029 seasons, respectively.
Embiid is sitting at a career total of $515 million while George is at $519 million. The other three members of the $500 million club are LeBron James ($584M), Stephen Curry ($536M), and Kevin Durant ($508M). While Durant and Curry were teammates on the Golden State Warriors, neither were above this threshold at the time.
Many in the NBA community are torn on whether or not Embiid is worth the history-setting extension. This deal gives the Sixers superstar the third highest total contract value in the league, trailing only the Boston Celtics' duo of Jayson Tatum ($315 million) and Jaylen Brown ($304 million).
One user brings forth the two most discussed criticisms of Embiid. The lack of postseason success is apparent, as his eight years playing in Philadelphia have yet to result in anything more than Eastern Conference Semifinals appearances.
Others push the agenda that Embiid is never at full strength by the time the playoffs come around. Philadelphia's front office is hoping the addition of star Paul George can alleviate pressure from his shoulders during the regular season. If George and Tyrese Maxey can carry the majority of the workload until April, the Sixers can hit the ground running when it matters most.
Some did praise Embiid's regular season play, crediting it as enough to earn this lucrative deal. The majority did, however, speak out about his inability to deliver in the playoffs.
76ers training camp begins on Oct. 1, where Philadelphia has no drama to handle after extending each member of their Big Three this offseason.
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