Report: Joel Embiid, 76ers Finalizing 4-Year, $196M Supermax Contract Extension

Matt Slocum/Associated Press

The Philadelphia 76ers and All-Star center Joel Embiid reached an agreement on a supermax contract extension.

Per ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Embiid’s fully-guaranteed extension will pay him $196 million over four years. 

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski added the Sixers superstar will earn a total of $261 million through the 2026-27 season between his current contract and extension. 

Embiid put together a terrific 2020-21 campaign for the Sixers, averaging 28.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.0 steals across 51 appearances. He shot a career-best 51.3 percent from the field and showcased improvement from beyond the arc, knocking down 37.7 percent of his threes.

The 27-year-old earned his fourth straight All-Star appearance and was selected to the All-NBA second team, which made him eligible for the supermax extension.

Philadelphia was eliminated from the playoffs by the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference semifinals, and although Embiid was the team’s top performer in the series, the 2014 first-round pick told reporters he accepted responsibility for the postseason exit:

“[I] just gotta be better. Personally I felt like I took a huge step this year, and there’s so much more I can do. I can be so much better… There’s so much more I can do. I progressed a lot this year, and next year I’m going to be even better… It’s on me. I got to be better. I got to take another step with it comes to taking care of my body, and my game as a whole because I still feel like I have a lot of untapped potential that people haven’t really seen.”

The Sixers’ inability to reach championship-level expectations led by the core of Embiid and point guard Ben Simmons raised questions about how the front office would handle the offseason.

Embiid’s long-term extension should solidify him as the cornerstone of the Sixers’ roster for the foreseeable future. He earned the new deal and proved it’s still possible for a post player to dominate games on a nightly basis, something that has become rarer in the modern NBA.

The deal also comes as speculation remains about Simmons’ long-term future with the franchise. Leading up to the draft, Wojnarowski reported the Sixers were seeking a “[James] Harden-esque” return for their All-Star point guard. 

Thus far, no teams have been willing to meet Philadelphia’s asking price for Simmons. 

Regardless of what happens with that situation, the 76ers getting a long-term commitment from Embiid allows the front office to build the roster around him for years to come.

Giving Embiid the supermax was an easy decision from Philadelphia’s perspective based on his continued development to an MVP-level performer while shaking off the injury concerns of years past. Whether he was prepared to commit to the franchise for the long haul was a little less certain.

Getting the deal done is great news for the Sixers and gives them a little more clarity about their financial outlook in the years ahead.