The five-year, $177 million maximum extension Ben Simmons received from the Philadelphia 76ers was once viewed as the worst value in the NBA, there seem to be worse contracts in the league today. With the NBA’s continuously rising salary cap, even role players are making eight figures a year. Unfortunately for the Sixers, though, they are responsible for two of the deals that have arguably topped Simmons’ as the most ill-advised in the association.
Advertisement
Tim McMahon brought up this point on The Hoop Collective, underlining the massive salary Joel Embiid is due to receive in the final year of his contract. “[Embiid] is a dude who, with this extension is owed $67 million in 2028-29,” McMahon said. “The Ben Simmons contract for a long time was the worst contract in the NBA. Sixers have two contenders right now.”
The longtime sportswriter also emphasized that the Sixers will be handing out that gargantuan salary to a player who likely won’t be able to suit up for more than half the season. After pointing out that Embiid played in just 39 games last season, McMahon stated that he doesn’t expect the former MVP to exceed that number many more times in his career.
As a star being paid as one of the best players in the NBA, that amount of absences from Embiid will drown the franchise.
After being viewed as the signing of the offseason, Paul George’s contract with Philadelphia has also played a role in the franchise’s downfall. The Sixers inked the 34-year-old to a four-year, $211 million deal last summer, which has been followed by one of the worst seasons of George’s career.
The 15-year veteran is posting just 17.3 points on 42% shooting, two of his lowest marks since he entered the league in 2010.
The future is looking bleak for the Philadelphia 76ers
After entering the season with high expectations, the Sixers have experienced a worst-case scenario thus far. Philadelphia will need Joel Embiid to manage his injury enough to remain a force in the coming years or the franchise will essentially have $67 million in dead money.
The seven-time All-Star has posted some of the most dominant campaigns in recent NBA history, but his inability to stay on the court makes his contract an egregiously terrible value.
Similarly, the team will need Paul George to at least play at All-Star level as he ages into the twilight of his career. With a contract that runs through his age-37 season, it’s not reasonable to expect George to remain a top talent in the league.
But if he doesn’t, the Sixers will be strapped with not one, but two of the worst contracts in the entire association for the next three years.
