Examining 76ers’ Salary Cap, Decisions for 2023 NBA Free Agency After Celtics Loss

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The Philadelphia 76ers are officially in the offseason after their elimination from the playoffs in Sunday’s Game 7 loss to the Boston Celtics, and the team is facing significant financial decisions in the coming months.

While Spotrac projects the Sixers to be under the luxury tax threshold for the 2023-24 season, they are also projected to be over the maximum salary cap by an eye-popping number of nearly $60 million.

The biggest deal on the books will be Joel Embiid’s $196 million super-max contract extension that kicks in at the start of next season. He will make an estimated $46.9 million, and he’s proved that he’s worth every penny after he was named this year’s NBA MVP. Still, his deal doesn’t leave the Sixers much room to make roster improvements this offseason.

While Embiid appears to be locked in for the foreseeable future, there’s much more uncertainty surrounding the status of James Harden. The 10-time All-Star can opt out of the $35.6 million player option remaining on his contract, and there have been rumblings that he’s considering a return to the Houston Rockets.

To make matters even more unsteady, Zach Braziller of the New York Post reported on Saturday that there are “whispers” Embiid could seek a trade this summer if Harden departs to Houston. It would be a massive surprise for this scenario to occur, but losing both its star players in the same offseason would be a devastating blow to Philadelphia.

The Sixers also likely have to address the status of Tyrese Maxey, who had a breakout campaign and will be entering the final year of his contract after the team exercised the option on his rookie deal. Veteran forward Tobias Harris is making a whopping $39.3 million in the final year of his deal, and he could be a candidate to have his contract restructured after his steep drop in production this season.

All of this creates a recipe for a cloudy path ahead for Philadelphia.