Getty Sixers teammates Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons always got along, but this year has taken their friendship to another level.
The contracts for professional athletes are filled with escalators and incentives. Joel Embiid had a pretty interesting one kick-in for him on Tuesday night after he earned second-team All-NBA honors.
The Philadelphia 76ers All-Star center is now eligible to negotiate an extension for four years and up to $191 million. The new deal would be added to the final two years of his current deal and pay him $42.5 million for the 2023-24 season. Embiid inked a five-year max contract in 2017 worth $148 million with an average base salary of $29.5 million (via Spotrac).
The 27-year-old big man enjoyed a career-best year in 2021 and logged 28.5 points in 31.1 minutes per game. The four-time All-Star was the runner-up for NBA MVP and probably would have won the award if not for a knee injury that caused him to miss 21 games. In addition, Embiid averaged 10.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 blocks while shooting 51.3% from the field.
Joel Embiid has earned All-NBA and is now super max eligible. The 76ers and Embiid are now allowed to negotiate an extension of four-years and a projected $191M. The extension would begin in 2023-24.
Breakdown:
2023/24- $42.5M
2024/25- $46.0M
2025/26- $49.4M
2026/27- $52.8M
“The main thing I’m always focused on is winning,” Embiid said earlier this year. “When you win, everybody on this team wins. If you’re not winning, that stuff is not going to come. You’re not going to be nominated for that stuff, and you’re not going to have the chance to win that stuff, so my focus is always about winning the championship.”
Embiid joins Hall of Famers Allen Iverson, Charles Barkley, Julius Erving, Moses Malone, Billy Cunningham, Wilt Chamberlain, Hal Greer and Dolph Schayes as the only Sixers players to make at least three All-NBA teams. He received 352 points (28 first-team votes, 70 second-team votes, two third-team votes) while Sixers point guard Ben Simmons earned two votes for third-team All-NBA.
THE 2020-21 ALL-NBA TEAMS‼️
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Three Sixers Make NBA All-Defensive Team
Ben Simmons was voted first-team All-Defense for a second straight season. He becomes the first Sixers player to earn consecutive first-team honors since Hall of Famer Maurice Cheeks did it four years in a row from 1982-86.
Meanwhile, Joel Embiid and second-year guard Matisse Thybulle qualified for second-team All-Defense. It marked the second time the Sixers have had three players named to All-Defensive teams in the same season since 1982-83 when Hall of Famers Maurice Cheeks, Bobby Jones and Moses Malone made it.
Thybulle was the breakout star on the defensive end this season. He totaled 105 steals and 71 blocks in 2021 and became the first player in NBA history to top 100 steals and 70 blocks in a single season while playing less than 1,300 total minutes. He held opponents to 37.2% shooting from the field, which was best among players with at least 50 games played.
#NBA All-Defensive Team results are in!
– @BenSimmons25 & Rudy Gobert were unanimous selections, each getting 200 vote points
– @JoelEmbiid earned 8 First Team votes, and was named Second Team
– @MatisseThybulle received 3 First Team votes, and earned Second Team
Embiid Holds Watch Party for Homeless Shelter
Embiid has also been an MVP off the court for the Sixers. The 7-footer held an outdoor viewing party on Monday night at Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission for 100 members of the shelter to watch Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. The event was part of Embiid’s ongoing mission to serve the homeless youth of Philadelphia.
“It’s almost like a sense of hope. It gives you hope. People care, people are showing love, and that’s something that people don’t have a lot of here,”. Catch up with resident, Jamal Williams, in the latest from @6abc
Embiid pledged to donate $100,000 to area homeless shelters back in March, with a guarantee to match from Sixers managing partners Josh Harris and David Blitzer. In addition, the star center was recently named a finalist for the 2020-21 NBA Cares Community Assist Award. Fans can vote for Joel on social media now through June 19 using the hashtags #JoelEmbiid and #NBACommunityAssist. The winner will receive a $25,000 donation to the charity of his choice.
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