Happy Monday! The NBA offseason is beginning to wind down for most, but for Sixers superstar Joel Embiid, the action is only beginning. Let's discuss that and more:
Embiid eligible to sign contract extension
Last week, the Sixers' franchise cornerstone became eligible to sign a three-year contract extension that would ensure Embiid is signed for the next five seasons. The Sixers would essentially guarantee themselves control over the remainder of Embiid's prime, but they could also be on the hook for at least a year or two of his post-prime days when his natural aging and lengthy injury history kick in.
Embiid's three-year maximum extension offer is projected to be worth around $193 million.
There are certainly valid reasons to be concerned about offering a player as injury-prone as Embiid such a massive amount of money, but the Sixers might be boxed into a corner: if Embiid has interested in inking an extension to commit to Philadelphia for the long haul, the organization is practically forced to offer it to him; holding off on doing so has often been considered disrespectful by players of Embiid's caliber.
If Embiid wants to sign that extension this summer, he will almost certainly be given the opportunity to do so.
Embiid's rocky road with Team USA
Speaking of the former NBA MVP, Embiid has been at the center of many discussions surrounding Team USA Men's Basketball as it prepares to partake in the 2024 Olympic Games. Embiid has had a somewhat difficult adjustment period playing with new teammates in a much different environment than he is used to, and Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis' domination off the bench for the team has many discussing whether or not Embiid should be moved to the second unit.
While I am far from an expert on international basketball, it seems to me like people have lost the plot a bit here. A handful of shaky plays from a historically dominant player should not set off nearly as many alarm bells as it seems to have set off.
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Davis has been fantastic against second units through the team's exhibition schedule so far, and has unquestionably performed better than Embiid, but it has to be considered that Davis is inherently facing inferior competition.
The primary reason I believe Embiid should remain in the starting lineup: many teams that Team USA will face in Paris are not going to have the requisite strength inside to handle Embiid in the post. Davis is a terrific player, but lacks the overwhelming power that Embiid is capable of playing with. If Embiid is right, he can lead this team in scoring by a significant margin; if does not score a ton of points, he still is a good bet to draw significant crowds every time he touches the ball to free up space for LeBron James, Stephen Curry and his other superstar teammates.
Boston Celtics continue retaining core pieces
On Sunday, the reigning champions reportedly agreed to a four-year, $45 million contract extension with reserve sharpshooter Sam Hauser that will kick in at the beginning of the 2025-26 season.
In two years as a rotation regular for Boston, Hauser, 26, has shot 42.1 percent from beyond the arc on five three-point attempts per game (13.0 long-range tries per 100 possessions).
Of their eight primary rotation pieces from last year's Finals-winning squad, all eight will be back in 2024-25 and all but Al Horford are under contract for 2025-26. Jayson Tatum is under team control through 2029-30 after inking an extension this summer, Jaylen Brown's deal runs through 2028-29, Derrick White's extension cements his place in Boston through 2027-28 and Jrue Holiday is under contract through 2026-27 or 2027-28, depending on what he does with his player option down the line.
The Sixers have done an outstanding job of reconstructing their roster this summer, likely doing all they could to maximize their championship odds in the short-term. But they still have a lot of playing catch-up to do, because the Celtics are not going anywhere.
David Jones impresses down the stretch of Summer League
Jones, who the Sixers signed to a two-way contract immediately following last month's NBA Draft, did little of note during his first six contests in NBA Summer League this month, but posted two very strong performances in the team's final pair of games to bolster his stock heading into training camp.
On Friday night against the Spurs, Jones played just 14 minutes off the bench but scored 15 points and grabbed six rebounds, posting impressive shooting numbers: 4-for-8 from the field, 3-for-5 from beyond the arc and 4-for-4 from the free throw line.
Jones started and logged 29 minutes in the Summer Sixers' finale against the Celtics, leading all scorers with 23 points. Jones shot 9-for-15 from the field, 3-for-7 shooting from three-point range and 2-3 from the free throw line.
After an underwhelming first four years of collegiate production, Jones transferred to Memphis for the 2023-24 season and was one of the better scorers in the country, averaging 21.8 points per game on impressive 45.9/38.0/79.7 shooting splits.
Previewing the Sixers' likely training camp battle
The Sixers appear to have eight players on their roster who are safe bets to be part of head coach Nick Nurse's regular rotation when the season begins: Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, Kelly Oubre Jr., Caleb Martin, Kyle Lowry, Eric Gordon and Andre Drummond. But most coaches prefer to use nine-man rotations in the regular season, which means at least one more spot is up for grabs.
When I attempted to map out Nurse's entire rotation last week, I gave the nod for the ninth (and potentially final) slot to Ricky Council IV, as he impressed in Summer League and has the kind of youth and upside that excites fans and teams alike.
But, as I mention in the story, there is a very real chance that Council is not a rotation regular when the season opens. His most significant competition is likely KJ Martin, who one could argue gives the Sixers better and more sturdy frontcourt and wing defense than Council with arguably more intriguing athletic tools and passing chops on short rolls.
The argument for playing Council stems from his superior three-point shooting, as well as his ability to score as a driver attacking closeouts. Additionally, when a team believes a young player can be a real part of their future, it is often wise to give that prospect as much playing time as possible to accelerate their development.
Council has been penciled into the regular season rotation by many, but don't be surprised if he is not an 82-game player next season.
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