Restricted Sixers free agent Paul Reed has signed an offer sheet with the Utah Jazz, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported Saturday.
If the Sixers match the offer sheet by Sunday at 11:59 p.m., they’ll keep Reed. Otherwise, he’ll head to Utah.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the offer sheet is for three years and $23 million, and that, “The first season of the contract is fully guaranteed, while the following two seasons become guaranteed if Reed's team advances to the conference semifinals in 2023-24.” Wojnarwoski also notes that the Sixers matching would push the team over the luxury-tax threshold.
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When the Sixers agreed to have Montrezl Harrell return on a one-year deal Thursday night, a Sixers source told NBC Sports Philadelphia that the move didn’t change the team’s desire to bring back Reed. We’ll see whether the Sixers, who have also added center Mo Bamba in free agency, are ultimately willing to pay what’s required to retain Reed.
The 58th pick in the 2020 NBA draft, Reed eventually earned the No. 1 backup center role last year and did well in the playoffs behind Joel Embiid. According to Cleaning the Glass, the 24-year-old ranked in the 99th percentile for steal rate and 94th percentile for block rate among centers. If he stays in Philadelphia, Reed would play for a new head coach in Nick Nurse, whose Toronto team led the NBA in defensive turnover percentage last season.
In our view, Reed has also provided substantial intangible value for the Sixers. He's worked to be a more dependable, less mistake-prone player while continuing to give exceptional energy and effort. And in moments where teammates were openly frustrated with him last postseason, Reed kept his composure (and confidence).
NBA
“I just know me getting mad and trying to snap back, it's not going to do any of us any good," Reed said the day after posting 10 points and 13 rebounds in the Sixers' Round 2, Game 1 win over the Celtics. “That’s not going to help us win. I can take criticism and hopefully, I can set an example for other dudes to take criticism, too.”
If the Sixers don't match Reed's offer sheet and he goes to Utah, he'd join a team in a transitional phase. Led by forward Lauri Markkanen, who made his first All-Star Game, the Jazz went 37-45 last season. Center Walker Kessler made the NBA's All-Rookie First Team.