Philadelphia 76ers plan possible $193,700,000 Tyrese Maxey contract if he makes All-Star debut in 2023-24
It appears that the Philadelphia 76ers have positioned Tyrese Maxey as their future franchise guard, particularly following the trade of James Harden. Maxey is poised to take on the role of a long-term guard for the franchise, succeeding in the wake of unsuccessful runs with both Harden and Ben Simmons.
According to Michael Scotto, the 76ers are ready to extend a max contract offer worth $193,700,000 to Maxey, provided he secures a spot on the All-Star team this year.
“The 76ers are preparing for Tyrese Maxey to be a max player in the summer of 2024 in free agency, I’m told,” Scotto said on the "HoopsHype" podcast. "I think he could certainly grow into that. He’s a rising star and a potential All-Star-caliber player, whether it’s this year or in the years to come.”
Maxey is in the final year of a four-year, $12,152,560 rookie contract.
“I think they’ve got to figure out if he’s a point guard," Scotto said. "The results with him having the ball in his hands have worked pretty well so far. I certainly think they believe he has a chance to be an All-Star. Some think he could maybe be an All-NBA player one day. I think the days of him being an off-the-ball guy like he was with Harden are done.”
Selected 21st in the 2022 NBA draft, Maxey has had a stellar beginning to his fourth NBA season. In three games, he's averaging 30.3 points, 6.3 assists and 6.7 rebounds while shooting an efficient 50.0%.
His scoring average has gone up every year. From an 8.0 ppg scorer in his rookie year, he has flourished to a 17.5 ppg scorer in his sophomore year and a 20.3 ppg scorer last season.
With a less crowded guard rotation after the Harden trade, it is anticipated that Maxey will serve as Philadelphia's primary ballhandler alongside the reigning MVP, Joel Embiid. Time is ticking for the 76ers (2-1) to win the championship and ensure Embiid's satisfaction with their championship hopes.
Will Joel Embiid request a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers?
The Philadelphia 76ers have ultimately dealt away dissatisfied guard James Harden for a return that many view as less than satisfactory. But if the team continues to underperform, it could face a larger issue: the possibility of a trade request from Joel Embiid.
According to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, there's speculation that Embiid might consider requesting a departure from the 76ers if the team experiences another premature playoff exit and doesn't make the most of the assets acquired in the James Harden trade.
“At this particular time, I’ll say that Joel is monitoring the situation and how everything goes,” Pompey said on the "HoopsHype Podcast." "Right now, they’re optimistic because Maxey is playing well, and they have a bunch of role players who can help them out.
"If (team president Daryl) Morey doesn’t do anything with this and they suffer another second-round loss, I could see Embiid asking for a trade heading into next year."
Embiid has a guaranteed contract until the 2025-26 season. He will have a $59 million player option the following season when he turns 32.