The Sixers are matching the Jazz‘s offer sheet to restricted free agent Paul Reed, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. Philadelphia put out a press release confirming the decision.
Utah offered a unique three-year, $23MM contract to Reed, who was Joel Embiid‘s primary backup last season.
Only the first year of the contract is guaranteed. The Jazz used their $7.7MM room exception to complete Reed’s offer sheet.
The last two years of the contract, totaling $15.7MM, will become guaranteed if the Sixers reach the conference semifinals next season. The same unusual contract clause of reaching the conference semifinals would have applied to the Jazz if Philadelphia had declined to match.
Considering that the Sixers have gotten past the first round in five of the last six seasons, it’s more likely they will advance past the first round next season than the Jazz — though Utah is on the upswing after shaking up its roster last offseason.
The approach used by the Jazz certainly gave Philadelphia more pause to match the offer sheet but the team ultimately decided to hold onto a valuable reserve.
By matching, the Sixers have created more luxury tax issues for themselves. They’ll exceed the $165MM luxury tax threshold at a cost of an estimated $14MM in tax penalties. Reed will also have the option to veto trades for a year, due to the Sixers’ decision to match.
The Sixers now have a crowded frontcourt behind Embiid after agreeing to re-sign Montrezl Harrell and signing free agent Mohamed Bamba.
Reed saw his role expand in his third NBA season as he averaged 4.2 points and 3.8 rebounds in 69 regular-season games.
Utah was very creative with the way they set up this offer in that it wasn’t likely to be guaranteed beyond the first year for Utah but is very likely to be guaranteed for all three years for Philly. So the Sixers are matching it for their fourth big.
Time to start at PF
Embiid, Trez, Bamba and Reed…. Who let Morey cook??
Stevie Wonder by the looks of it
Losing in the 2nd round with 4 over-rated Centers? Well played, Philly. Well played indeed. Trust the process!!!!
What a stupid stupid comment.
Stupid but accurate
Umm, no. I’m a Nets’ fan, but I can admit you can’t overrate an MVP on one of your rivals.
How many other “MVPs” can’t get their team out of the second round on a consistent basis?
Nah, just stupid…he nailed it
Utah might as well just hit up Dwight
What… okay… More you’ve officially lost me on this one. This might be the dumbest move he’s ever made.
I like Bball… but he’ll never be the starting Center, is marginally classified as the back-up, and will never be a starting PF b/c he can’t shoot.
Since when are starting centers paid <8MM/year? Is it 2003 and not 2023?
Yes, it's a bit pricey for a backup but if Nurse actually intends to pay him he will be a useful piece.
It’s 7/year…that’s not starter money. It isn’t an egregious overpay either. Who would you rather have on the court, bamba trez or bball? For me, 100 times out of 100 I will take bball.
They already signed Bamba and Harrell. Bad allocation of resources. I would have used this mlm money on McDaniels.
You do know Trez and Bamba are both on vet minimums?
What does mcdaniels bring that Reed doesn’t?
Need a guy who Nick Nurse can illogically bench for no reason next season.
Clever move by Utah. I wonder how often that type of thing is done.
Well Morey did the absurd Omer Asik deal, Zanick (Jazz GM) was Asik’s agent. Basically used what he learned against Morey.
Morey was also the one who poison-pilled the Knicks on Jeremy Lin, iirc.
@reflect It really only works on roleplayers, because if you do it for a starter, you have to lock up that amount of your cap until they either sign or don’t, and then have to wait for the other club to match or not. And especially for starters it can backfire. The Rockets had to trade a first with Jeremy Lin to dump him on the Lakers, iirc (granted, this was back when the salary cap was tiny af). Same reason no one tried to pay Austin Reaves 100 mil this year. They’d have to lock up their cap for that much and might end up actually paying him that much. It’s great when it works, but your bluff can get called and end up hurting you in the future.
A bit pricey. But I would play him more with Embiid. They can always move Harrell and or Bamba during season.
Harden to Clippers can still happen. They can attach players to that.
Good stuff. As much as I was at peace with BBall potentially leaving, this deal is fine and I’m glad he’s back.
22M for Bball Paul this year!?! YIKES SIXERS LMAO
It’s for 3 years.
Philly is looks like they are going to experience a slow death back to the land of rebuilding.
How many years as a bona fide franchise player does Embiid have left? After all these injuries??? Feeling like perhaps this season will be the “last stand” for the Sixers. Harden already did the franchise a solid by not taking the extension. That money won’t be on the books next year.
The Knicks would be a ready-made situation for Embiid to step in, and perhaps be the final piece. A lot can happen in a year.
After Luka, Embiid is the next most likely superstar to ask out within the next year. They’ll have to trade Harden for next to nothing and then their roster really looks like crap. Of course, I’d love him on the Knicks. Mitch, RJ, Grimes and a bushel of firsts might get it done.
Why would we trade Harden for next to nothing? He’s on an expiring deal, that brings value at the deadline for us and other teams.
Although B-Ball Paul has been used as a Center, he really profiles as a PF. I can see him getting more minutes in that role, especially as his outside shot improves.
Stupid match, we dont need him that bad.
If this ends the Tobe-an dream, Poppa Silver should threaten to devastate the franchise by taking a second round pick.
This kinda seems like the Jazz were doing Bball Paul or his agent a favor. The Jazz didn’t need him. The contract felt more like it was protection against Morey than what the Jazz would do, except the no-trading part.
Plus, now that the Sixers are comfortably over the luxury tax, they are even more limited on what they can do to improve their team. Maybe the Jazz are eyeing Harden or Embiid and helped further that along? Or am I giving them too much credit? I dunno. The Ainge/Zanik combo has been pretty brilliant so far.
That being said, I was relieved the contract was matched. I prefer the playing time go to Hendricks and Collins, at times. Either them or someone else even bigger. Guess we’ll see what this triggers soon enough.
Matching was never the issue people were making it out to be. PHI FO has always liked this player. Teams pretty much always match offer sheets on RFA’s they like. Not really a price issue, because the market set the price (unless they feel the market didn’t work). The minimum contracts (particular Bamba with no bird rights) aren’t important.
It was an issue. An SLCDunk guy talked about his fellow writer friend being near to a Sixers front office guy when the Woj bomb went off. He swore and left with his phone to his ear. Lol
Danny Ainge had the leverage and used it. He has never liked Morey. It also shows player Utah will spend. Good move by Danny!