Tyrese Maxey Disrespect Just Cost Him $40 Million
By Cem Yolbulan
Ever since the conclusion of the regular season, the NBA has been announcing the awards and honors from the 2023-24 campaign. On Wednesday night, they released the All-NBA teams, highlighting the 15 best performers in the league. One of the biggest snubs was the exclusion of Tyrese Maxey of the Philadelphia 76ers.
Before the regular season started, the NBA made a change in All-NBA voting, making the teams positionless for the first time. Since the NBA is largely dominated by perimeter players today, this meant that guards would have more of a chance to make the All-NBA teams despite the depth in the position.
Tyrese Maxey was one of those players. The 23-year-old guard averaged 25.9 points and 6.2 assists while playing 37.5 minutes per game in 70 appearances, helping keep the Sixers afloat during Joel Embiid's extended absence. However, he failed to make an All-NBA team.
Maxey ended up receiving one second-team and 13 third-team votes, coming in 18th and missing All-NBA teams. Not only was voters thinking Domantas Sabonis had a better season than Tyrese Maxey is absolutely crazy, but they also cost Maxey a significant amount of money this offseason.
According to Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports, this snub impacts the maximum contract Maxey can receive this offseason. Now, the most All-Star guard can make is five-years, $204.5 million instead of five-years, $245.3 million.
This doesn't impact the Sixers' books for the offseason. Philadelphia still will have significant cap space to be active in free agency. General manager Daryl Morey will be aggressive in pursuing free agents like Paul George to create a Big Three alongside Maxey and Joel Embiid. But, having Maxey on a lower number in future years may have a positive salary cap impact then.
Even though Maxey's All-NBA snub may benefit the Sixers in the long term, Philly fans would have loved to see their young star get his flowers. Yet, Maxey will almost certainly make some All-NBA teams throughout his career. This is just another road block he will need to overcome.