After compiling a 75-253 (.229) record during Brett Brown‘s first four seasons in Philadelphia, the Sixers would have considered it a success to crack .500 and sneak into the playoffs in 2017/18. Instead, the club surpassed expectations by racking up 52 wins, earning the No. 3 seed in the East, and winning a playoff series, as Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons established themselves as NBA stars. With cap room to spare this summer, Philadelphia has the opportunity to add another major piece to its ultra-talented core.
Here’s where things currently stand for the Sixers financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2018:
Guaranteed Salary
- Joel Embiid ($25,250,000)1
- Robert Covington ($10,464,092)
- Jerryd Bayless ($8,575,916)
- Markelle Fultz ($8,339,880)
- Ben Simmons ($6,434,520)
- Dario Saric ($2,526,840)
- Justin Anderson ($2,516,048)
- Furkan Korkmaz ($1,740,000)
- Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot ($1,544,951)
- Total: $67,392,247
Player Options
- None
Team Options
- Richaun Holmes ($1,600,520)2
- T.J. McConnell ($1,600,520): Will be exercised3
- Total: $3,201,040
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- None
Restricted Free Agents
- None
Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds
- J.J. Redick ($27,600,000): Non-Bird rights
- Amir Johnson ($13,200,000): Non-Bird rights
- No. 10 overall pick ($3,522,533)
- Anzejs Pasecniks ($1,746,957)4
- No. 26 overall pick ($1,689,080)
- Marco Belinelli ($1,499,698): Non-Bird rights
- Ersan Ilyasova ($1,499,698): Non-Bird rights
- Total: $50,757,966
Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000
Projected Cap Room: $25,195,100
- Our cap projection for the Sixers includes their nine guaranteed contracts, team options for Holmes and McConnell, and the cap holds for their two first-round picks. It adds up to a total team salary of $75,804,900.
- That cap projection involves renouncing all their own free agents – including Redick – and still doesn’t leave the 76ers with enough cap space for potential targets like LeBron James ($35.35MM) or Paul George ($30.3MM). Still, there are ways for the team to carve out more room. For instance, if they were to eliminate the cap charges for Bayless and their two first-round picks via trades (or draft-and-stash picks), the Sixers would have approximately $37.3MM in space.
Footnotes:
- Embiid will have a maximum salary worth 25% of the salary cap. This projected max salary is based on a $101MM cap, but it could be higher or lower depending on where the cap lands.
- Holmes’ salary will remain non-guaranteed after his option is exercised.
- McConnell’s salary will remain non-guaranteed after his option is exercised.
- Pasecniks was the Sixers’ 25th overall pick in 2017, meaning his cap hold is equal to the rookie scale amount for this year’s No. 25 pick. That cap hold will be removed if it’s officially determined that Pasecniks won’t sign with the Sixers for 2018/19.
Note: Rookie scale cap holds are estimates based on salary cap projections and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.
Salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
If Bayless wasn’t such a bone-headed player he’d actually be trade-able on his own. Same issue with RoCo, except Bayless is a marginal defender. Wouldn’t mind a 3-way deal –
GSW give 3.5M to Chicago, Philly sends Bayless to Chicago, Philly sends a 2nd rounder to GSW.
So Philly gives up Bayless and 3.5 million. Nothing in return?
No warriors give up money to Chicago. Bayless also goes to Chicago. Sixers give up a 2nd. It’s a salary dump for philly
Exactly. GSW paid 3.5M last year for a 2nd round pick I believe. Basically you’re paying Chicago to take Bayless. Chicago has 26.6M in cap space. And they aren’t going to land any of the top FAs. Move has no implication on them long-term.
Why is there no need for a salary match? That’s $8.6mil’s worth of player, and Bulls don’t have the trade exception to cover.
GSW payed for an unsigned player last year.
Nevermind. Under the cap. Misspelled paid.
How would Jonah Bolden fit into and/or effect the picture cap wise if he does indeed join the team next season?
As a second-round pick, he has no cap hold, so if they plan to sign him, they’d most likely use most or all of their cap room before getting to his contract. If they have any cap space left after finalizing deals with their main targets, they could use the remaining room to sign him to a three- or four-year contract (the Celtics did this last year with Semi Ojeleye and Abdel Nader after signing Hayward, and Bolden’s contract would probably look similar to theirs). If they use up ALL their cap room, Bolden would be limited to a two-year deal, either worth the minimum or some/all of the room exception.
This is a long way of saying: His deal wouldn’t impact the Sixers’ cap situation significantly.
Thanks for the explanation.
Exactly. GSW paid 3.5M last year for a 2nd round pick I believe. Basically you’re paying Chicago to take Bayless. Chicago has 26.6M in cap space. And they aren’t going to land any of the top FAs. Move has no implication on them long-term.