An NBA insider criticized the contracts of Philadelphia 76ers stars Joel Embiid and Paul George. Here's what the NBA insider said about the All-Star duo.
76ers' Joel Embiid And Paul George's Contracts 'Worst Valued' Per Insider originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Philadelphia 76ers have invested in Joel Embiid and Paul George as the foundation of their team. The organization is willing to invest a lot of money to secure star players to help the 76ers contend for a championship. The management believes Philly has the window for a title while Embiid is still in his prime.
Embiid is in the third year of his four-year, $213 million contract. The fourth year, which is a player option, has been canceled since he signed a three-year, $187.6 million contract extension. His new deal will take effect at the 2026-27 season.
George, on the other hand, signed a four-year, $212 million deal during the 2024 offseason. He still has three years left in his deal (if he exercises his player option for the 2027-28 season).
However, their injuries last season have affected the way the fans and media view them. The two stars were limited, with Embiid only suiting up for 19 games, while George appeared for 41 games.
Due to their unavailability, ESPN's Tim MacMahon criticized the star duo for having the worst contracts in the NBA.
"[The] Philadelphia 76ers are build on a flimsy foundation," MacMahon started. "They are built on a foundation of two max players who might be the two worst valued contracts in the NBA."
“They are built on a foundation of two max players who might be the two worst valued contracts in the NBA.” 😳
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 15, 2025
- @espn_macmahon on the Sixers
(h/t @ohnohedidnt24 )
pic.twitter.com/t4Yey6QWvx
MacMahon did not disregard the talent that the two stars have. However, he pointed out the number of missed games they had last season as the reason for his criticism.
The 76ers missed the postseason for the first time since 2017 due to the two stars' inability to remain healthy throughout the previous season. Fortunately for Philly, their 24-58 record was rewarded with the No. 3 pick, which they used to draft Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe.
Related: 76ers Give Update on Paul George on Monday
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
