The Sixers have exercised their 2018/19 rookie scale team options on four players, according to RealGM’s log of official NBA transactions. Philadelphia has picked up third-year options for Ben Simmons, Dario Saric, and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, along with the fourth-year option for Justin Anderson.
[RELATED: Decisions On 2018/19 Rookie Scale Team Options]
That leaves Jahlil Okafor as the only player with a 2018/19 team option that has yet to be exercised. The Sixers could still pick up Okafor’s fourth-year option – which has a cap hit of about $6.3MM – at some point today. However, the club continues to explore potential trades involving the former third overall pick, and those trade talks could determine whether or not Okafor’s option gets exercised, tweets Derek Bodner of The Athletic.
Outside of Simmons’ option, which will count for about $6.4MM against the 76ers’ cap, the 2018/19 options picked up by the team so far are modest. Saric and and Anderson will have cap charges of about $2.5MM apiece, while Luwawu-Cabarrot’s will be a little over $1.5MM.
The decisions lock all four players in for the ’18/19 season, and Anderson will be eligible for restricted free agency in 2019, assuming he’s not extended during the 2018 offseason. Philadelphia will face fourth-year option decisions on Simmons, Saric, and Luwawu-Cabarrot a year from now.
Damn philly come on
Not worth the money. Decline and cut him if no trade could be found.
Would Miami be a logical landing spot for him? During the off-season before they signed Ollynk I think it might have been, but I am not sure now.
C’mon this is easy. You exercise the option, keep your insurance, keep your option for trading him. The salary also offers a salary matching benefit for other teams in a 3 team scenario.
It isn’t that easy though. If the Sixers are talking to the Celtics (who could use a big), then picking up the option would kill the deal since BOS can only trade for a player in the last year of his contract with their injured player exception.
Also worth noting that the Sixers could be one of the few teams next summer with enough cap room for a maximum salary free agent. Adding another $6MM+ in guaranteed money for a guy they don’t even play might not be the best use of that space.
But at the same time, exercising that option guarantees another year on his contract. Teams trading for Okafor are going to want to control him for at least 2 years. I don’t see anyone trading for him only to allow him to be a free agent after the season.
This offseason is going to likely be tough for free agents. I’d be surprised if the salary cap rises much, if any. Throw in the fact that several bigs will be available and it will e a tough market for Okafor and many others.
The $6M can be used towards a position that is higher in demand. While $6M is chump change in today’s NBA there might be several bigs that could have to sign for less than that in the offseason.