Joel Embiid’s massive contract extension has been the talk of the sporting world. With JoJo set to receive an average of $64.3 million/year from 2026 to 2029, the amount has left the past members of the NBA perplexed. Antonio Daniels also seemed a bit salty when crediting the players from the previous generations for Embiid’s contract value.
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As expected, Embiid’s three-year, $193 million max contract extension has been the topic of discussion in all sports media houses. The SiriusXM NBA Radio panel also did a deep-dive into the Philly star’s latest success.
When discussing the same, the former Spurs player believed that Embiid needed to thank players from the 1960s and beyond for the huge role they had as he was rewarded with the contract. Daniels didn’t explain himself but claimed that the “sacrifice” made by the players from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s has resulted in the current era of players receiving large sums.
“The reason that you’ll find guys in the ‘80s and the ‘90s and even the 2000s that get so upset by that is because if you think about it, the reason that Joel Embiid can sign a contract like this is because of those guys. Joel Embiid and Paul George and Jaylen Brown, those guys don’t get an opportunity to sign contracts like this, if the guys in the ‘70s and the ‘80s and the ‘90s did not sacrifice themselves to put guys in the position that they’re in today,” Daniels said.
From what the comment and his tone suggest, even Daniels was one such player who got “upset” looking at the unreal amount of money that the players today make. However, he did not forget to give Embiid credit for his success when congratulating him.
“Good for Joel Embiid. Good for him. He deserves every bit of it,” Daniels concluded.
“It’s because of those guys in the 60s, 70s and the 80s”
@ADaniels33 talks with @RickKamlaSports about Joel Embiid’s multi-year extension pic.twitter.com/keKvovtUOt— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) September 23, 2024
Players from the previous generation are often against the fact that “lesser-skilled” players than them receive large contracts. Shaquille O’Neal is one of the most prominent names from the older era of the NBA to be extremely vocal when dissing Rudy Gobert, claiming he’s not worth the money he gets paid.
The players are paid directly proportionate to the league’s worth. With the league’s latest media rights deal, the NBA’s worth has risen drastically.
The league is also entitled to reward the players with 51% of the total revenue generated. As the NBA continues to be profitable, more players will earn similar or even better figures than what Embiid is set to receive.
With the league’s rise in popularity, there could soon be a point in the future where players might end up making $100 million per year. When this day arises, the likes of Embiid and Brown might end up being the ones grumbling about the large contract values.
