After instigating the Pelicans rookie by bullying his teammates, Joel Embiid pays the fine for Jose Alvarado’s technical against the Sixers.
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The Philadelphia 76ers hosted the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday, looking for an easy win against a shorthanded 18-28 team. But Joel Embiid and Co found themselves struggling against the peeving Pelicans.
Short of their four starters due to injuries, rookie Jose Alvarado got his first start in the NBA. But found himself arguing with the 7-footer. The incident started to unfold in the second quarter when Embiid had his shot blocked by Willy Hernangomez.
After the block, Joel appeared to have run into Temple, which prompted words from Alvarado. Followed by a personal foul call for contact on Garrett Temple, Embiid and Alvarado both got hit with technical fouls.
The T on the Sixers MVP seemed alright, but both players found the ruling too harsh for the rookie.
Joel Embiid pays Jose Alvarado’s fine
Alvarado is currently on a two-way contract. This season’s minimum salary for a rookie is $925,258, but his contract is non-guaranteed and for half of the league’s minimum salary, which means Jose is making somewhere around $462,000.
A $2,000 fine wouldn’t be anything for max contract players like Embiid but would take off a significant weight from the pocket of a two-way contract guy. The point guard was pleased with the 5-time All-Star after he paid the fine for him.
“I said, ‘Man, you know I can’t afford that tech!’” Alvarado said of the incident. “He is pretty cool. He did a generous thing and actually went out of his way and got in contact with me and paid the fine for me. We talked during the game, and it was all love and respect. It was in the heat of the moment, nothing personal.”
Alvarado tied up with Embiid once again, fighting for a loose ball shortly after getting those Ts.
While Pelicans lost the game by 10 points, the 6’0 backup guard had 11-points, 5-assists, 3-rebounds, 2-steals, and 2-blocks. Embiid ended up with 41-points, 14-rebounds, 4-assists, and 4-blocks before getting fouled out.
These gestures by the players towards one another and also their involvement in social causes, in which Joel is involved all the time, makes sports one of the best professions in the world.
