Analyst Projects How New CBA Affects De’Anthony Melton’s Future With Sixers

De’Anthony Melton’s current contract with the Philadelphia 76ers is set to expire in 2024. He is currently eligible to receive an extension from the Sixers. Liberty Ballers’ Bryan Toporek explained how the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement affects Melton’s future with the Sixers.

“While the new CBA contains some harsh punishments for the league’s highest-spending teams, Melton could be one of the early beneficiaries from it,” Toporek wrote. “Under the new CBA, teams can offer either 140 percent of the player’s previous salary or 140 percent of the estimated average salary as the starting salary on a new extension. That enables the Sixers to offer Melton more money in an extension than they previously could.”

Toporek then added the details of Melton’s potential extension with the Sixers.

“The Sixers could offer Melton a starting salary around $16.5 million and top out at a four-year, $74 million extension this offseason.

-2024-25: $16,520,000
-2025-26: $17,841,600
-2026-27: $19,163,200
-2027-28: $20,484,800
Total: $74,009,600.”

Toporek added the players who make around the same salary that Melton would should he and the Sixers agree to an extension.

“An $18.5 million AAV would put Melton in the same neighborhood as low-end starters/high-end reserves such as Tim Hardaway Jr. ($18.75 million), Joe Harris ($18.75 million), and Norman Powell ($18.0 million). That might be a bit higher than what Melton deserves based on his production to date, but the rising salary cap could help his case.”

What may also factor into Melton’s future with the Sixers is whether James Harden and Joel Embiid will be on the team long-term.

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Sixers Planned to Offer James Harden 2-Year Deal: Insider

On August 5, HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported that the Sixers would have offered a two-year deal to Harden had he opted out and become a free agent.

“To my understanding, the best the Sixers would’ve considered was something along the lines of a two-year deal, which would’ve included a team option, and that type of short-term commitment wasn’t going to appeal to Harden,” Scotto said while talking with The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey on “The HoopsHype Podcast.”

Scotto explained Harden’s decision to opt in with the Sixers, even though his true offseason intentions are to join the Los Angeles Clippers.

“Harden knew the team he wanted to go to, the Clippers, and the only way to get there and get his money was to opt in because of their restrictions with the salary cap,” Scotto said. “There’s still been dialogue between the two teams.”

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Analyst Says Sixers May Trade P.J. Tucker

On July 26, HoopsHype’s Yossi Gozlan wrote why the Sixers could look into trading P.J. Tucker after they decided to keep Paul Reed.

“The Sixers are now slightly over the tax after matching the offer sheet for Paul Reed the Jazz gave him. The Sixers are looking to prioritize cap space in 2024. Tucker is one of the few Sixers under contract for next season. He’s got that player option for $11.5 million. It wouldn’t shock me if they trade him to also get under the tax this year. A James Harden trade or a Tobias Harris trade could do that,” Gozlan wrote.

The Sixers already have Harden, Melton (if he’s not extended), and Tobias Harris all coming off the books in 2024. Having Tucker off their books could give them even more cap flexibility.

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