Philadelphia 76ers big man Paul Reed was a restricted free agent this past offseason and actually signed a three-year, $23 million offer sheet with the Utah Jazz. The 76ers eventually decided to match it to keep Reed in Philadelphia and the 23-year-old reveals he was delighted they did it.
"I was super hyped...Ain't nothing in Utah for real," Reed said on Run It Back. "I was preparing myself mentally to make the best of the situation... They waited till the last minute to match the offer."
Unfortunately for the Jazz, that does seem to be how a large portion of NBA players view Utah. Last year, Charles Barkley had roasted Salt Lake City and Utah during the All-Star Game. Barkley hilariously stated there was nothing to do in the city and joked that all the people living there were going to heaven because they didn't smoke or drink.
As for why Reed signed that offer sheet, well, it was good money that was being offered. He was just going to make the best of the situation as he said but fortunately for him, the 76ers decided to bring him back..
It proved to be a good decision, as Reed had the best season of his career in 2023-24. He averaged 7.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game for the 76ers while primarily coming off the bench. As for who the Jazz acquired after missing out on Reed, they signed Omer Yurtseven to a two-year deal a few days after the 76ers matched that offer.
Paul Reed Revealed The 76ers Wanted To Play The Knicks Instead Of The Celtics
Reed and the 76ers found themselves in the NBA Play-In Tournament this season as the seventh seed, and it meant if they made the playoffs, they would have to face either the New York Knicks or the Boston Celtics in the first round. The 76ers beat the Miami Heat in the tournament to set up a clash with the Knicks and Reed admitted it was the matchup they wanted.
"We ain't ducking no smoke, but yeah, we wanted the Knicks matchup, of course," Reed said. "That's the easier team I guess, but you know it's going to be fun, we match up pretty well with them. They got a great guard, we got a great guard, we also got Joel (Embiid), MVP, so like you said earlier, he's one of the most unstoppable guys in the league right now. They're gonna have to send triple teams, and he's gonna get everybody else involved."
It is the easier matchup, for sure, but I am not sure Reed needed to say that out loud. That's some additional bulletin board material for the Knicks and you better believe these comments will be brought up if the 76ers get eliminated.
I hope for Reed's sake, that Joel Embiid does play like one of the most unstoppable players in the league in the series. Embiid was just 6-17 from the field against the Heat but did make some big plays in the fourth quarter to get the win. He'll have to play a lot better if the 76ers are to get past the Knicks, though.
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