How Sixers’ Loss vs. Knicks Impacts Paul Reed’s Contract

Last summer, the Philadelphia 76ers nearly lost Joel Embiid’s backup to the Utah Jazz.

Paul Reed, Philly’s former second-round pick out of DePaul, entered the free agency market as a restricted candidate. Coming off of an impressive playoff run, Reed’s stock jumped up just before he started negotiating deals with other teams.

The Jazz made Reed a generous offer, which put the Sixers on the clock to match.

Utah offered Reed a three-year deal worth $23.5 million. While it wasn’t fully guaranteed, there were certain factors in the deal that would’ve helped Reed earn a guarantee salary, based on how far the Sixers go in the playoffs.

After losing against the New York Knicks in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, Reed’s salary for next season suddenly becomes non-guaranteed, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

A trip to the second round would’ve locked in over $7 million for Reed next year. When the Jazz initially submitted their offer sheet to Reed, the Sixers had to consider the fact that two out of the three seasons on the deal could become guaranteed, as Philly frequently made the second round of the playoffs over the past few seasons.

Many believed that pressure put on by the Jazz would make the Sixers more hesitant to match. In the end, Daryl Morey and the Sixers’ front office invested in Reed and brought him back for the 2023-2024 NBA season.

This summer, the Sixers have a lot of work to do. With draft picks and cap space in play, they have the resources to make necessary changes. Aside from Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, nobody is a lock to return.

Reed played a full 82 games for the Sixers and even started a career-high 24 games in the absence of the injured Embiid. With increased consistent playing time under first-year head coach Nick Nurse, Reed managed to average a career-high seven points and six rebounds per game during the regular season.

In the playoffs, Reed’s run wasn’t as memorable as last year’s. With his playing time cut in half, Reed averaged just 1.5 points and 2.7 rebounds. While the entire second unit struggled in the postseason, Reed’s personal struggles in Embiid-less lineups forced the Sixers to give Embiid more minutes than ever in the postseason.

Addressing the backup center position was something the Sixers planned to do before the trade market was capped for the rest of the year. The front office didn’t a trade partner to address the position when it was all said and done.

Perhaps the Sixers go hunting for a center this summer. While they’ve proven to load up with options in the offseason just last year, it’s unclear if Reed’s contract situation will affect his standing with the team or not.