There is no debate over the Philadelphia 76ers' cornerstone, it's Joel Embiid.
Still, the NBA community is torn on whether or not Embiid is worth the three-year, $193 million maximum contract extension signed Friday morning. 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).
"overpayed asf, for a dude who has never gone to the conference finals and only stat pads, he is NOT worth 69 million per year," one user wrote.
The user brings forth the two most discussed criticisms of Embiid. The lack of postseason success is apparent, as his eight years playing in Philadelphia are 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.
Embiid's Instagram statement read, "Philadelphia is home. I want to be here for the rest of my career. I love this community and everything you’ve given me and my family. There is a lot more work to do. You guys deserve a championship and I think we’re just getting started. #TrustTheProcess."
This prompted a fan to get blunt about the deal, writing, "Means absolutely nothing but wasting money until he can get out of the second round."
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.
No one is denying Embiid's ability to thrive in the regular season after averaging an efficient 34.7 points last season, but fans are ready to see the same level transfer when the lights shine brightest.
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