The bulk of the NBA news coming out in this dry period is about new leaked jerseys, front-office hirings, and contract extensions. Most rosters are set and teams are just biding time until training camp starts and then preseason.
There hasn’t exactly been earth-shattering news coming out that will change the landscape of the league - at least on the surface. But the Jamal Murray contract extension news was a pretty big deal and now we’ve got an even bigger deal as former league MVP Joel Embiid has now agreed to a massive extension of his own.
Joel Embiid signs 3 year, $193 million extension with 76ers
It was reported on Friday morning that the Philadelphia 76ers are extending Embiid for three years and $193 million, keeping him in Philly until 2029 with the final year being a player option. This deal will push Embiid over $500 million in career earnings, making him one of only five players to reach that threshold along with LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, and Paul George.
JUST IN: Joel Embiid says he is signing a contract extension with the Philadelphia 76ers. The one-time NBA MVP will sign a three-year, $193 million maximum extension with the 76ers, with a player option in 2028-2029, sources tell @TheAthletic. pic.twitter.com/BzA0mUO8yc
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 20, 2024
Fans hate the comparison, but Embiid is probably the closest thing to a modern-day rival or contemporary for Nikola Jokic. They are the two best centers in recent history and Embiid has been the only player pushing Jokic for the MVP award in recent seasons.
Jokic still has three more guaranteed seasons on his contract before a player option that he is likely to decline, but it stands to reason that he’s due for a similar extension down the road. Whatever Embiid earns, Jokic deserves that and more.
Only a matter of time until Jokic earns over $500 million
As soon as the Joker is eligible to be extended, the Nuggets will surely offer him the highest amount they can possibly pay him and Jokic will join this prestigious club. This shouldn’t come as a surprise or be breaking news to any fans, it’s just the reality of the situation.
Jokic deserves to be the highest-paid player in the league and honestly, whatever the Nuggets pay him will still likely be a bargain. This extension just hammers home the point of how expensive the roster is going to get. The Nuggets have been engaging in cost-cutting business for years in this is part of that.
The tame is going to pay Jokic whatever they can to ensure his career exists only in Denver. They know that they are going to have to pay the pier sooner than later and they should be happy to do so. But it won’t be cheap and it will create holes in the roster. But this is simple; you hand Jokic a blank check and worry about everything else later.