The Philadelphia 76ers announced on Tuesday that center Joel Embiid signed a new four-year, $196 million supermax contract extension.
This contract keeps him with the club that drafted him until 2027.
Coming off a career year, Embiid now steps squarely into the limelight as the face of the 76ers.
Breaking: Joel Embiid is finalizing a four-year, $196 million supermax contract extension, sources told @ramonashelburne.
The extension keeps Embiid under contract with the Sixers through the 2026-27 season for a total of $261 million. pic.twitter.com/n91MR6jXjm
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 17, 2021
Embiid Worked His Way To A Supermax
Embiid reportedly represented himself in the negotiations, but that’s no surprise considering the do-it-all nature of the 27-year-old’s game.
The supermax extension became an option for Embiid after his earned his second All-NBA berth.
He averaged 28.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game for the Sixers last season.
He also led the team to the top seed in the Eastern Conference and finished second in the MVP voting behind fellow center Nikola Jokic.
Embiid’s emergence as a supermax player seemed unlikely earlier in his career.
After being drafted third overall in 2014 out of Kansas, Embiid played a total of 31 games through his first three seasons in the league.
While injuries hampered the start of his career, he has remained relatively healthy since.
During the playoffs this season, Embiid even played through a tear in his right meniscus.
He has averaged over 20 points per game in each of his five seasons in the league, and eclipsed 10 rebounds per game in the last four.
Embiid has helped the Sixers make the playoffs in each of the last four seasons.
For Philadelphia, this contract stands as the most meaningful result of the famed “Process.”
This is particularly true in light of the current limbo of the Ben Simmons situation.
Although Embiid’s injury history might cause some to balk at this contract, the Sixers faced little choice considering the alternative.
Embiid has proven himself to be the best player on the team for years, and helped propel the team to the top of the East.
Embiid Stands As The Face Of The Franchise
There’s no place like PHILADELPHIA!!! Excited to continue working towards bringing a title home and eventually retire here #PHILLY pic.twitter.com/V7YLAbRxAD
— Joel “Troel” Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) August 17, 2021
Embiid has long maintained his love for Philadelphia and Sixers fans.
After signing his extension, he took to Twitter and said:
“Excited to continue working towards bringing a title home and eventually retire here.”
This statement stands in stark contrast to the silence coming from Simmons, the Sixers’ other All-Star.
With rumors continuing to swirl around Simmons’ status with the Sixers, the team did not make any splashes in free agency.
Philadelphia re-signed wings Danny Green and Furkan Korkmaz, important shooters to space the floor around Embiid.
The Sixers also brought in veteran center Andre Drummond to back up Embiid.
The team also took a flyer on Georges Niang to be a stretch-4.
But the biggest reason Embiid can be called the face of the Philadelphia franchise remains the Simmons situation.
The former No. 1 overall selection in the 2016 draft, Simmons has not become the franchise cornerstone so many envisioned him to be.
While Embiid battled through his knee injury in the playoffs, Simmons shrunk from the biggest moments against Atlanta.
The Sixers must manage a suitable conclusion to the situation in order to maximize the return on any potential trade.
Regardless of how the Simmons situation plays out, the Sixers know their big man will be around for the foreseeable future.
NEXT: Grading The Joel Embiid Supermax Extension With 76ers