Cap Watch: Above the Apron With the Bill Still Coming

By the 76ers Nightly Desk · Sunday, September 27

Philadelphia's $213.2 million payroll already sits above the $209.0 million first apron and the $200.4 million tax line, with the $221.7 million second apron next. Five max-level contracts anchor the sheet while the picks owed to Brooklyn and New York limit how creatively Bob Myers can maneuver.

76ers Nightly artwork — Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

How far over the tax line is Philadelphia right now?

Philadelphia's payroll sits at $213.2 million, already clear of the $200.4 million luxury tax line and the $209.0 million first apron. The $221.7 million second apron is the next line, and this roster is already positioned uncomfortably close to it. Every dollar spent from here comes with hard-cap restrictions most front offices never have to think about.

Who's actually eating the cap sheet?

Five contracts do the heavy lifting: Joel Embiid at $58.1 million, Jaylen Brown at $57.1 million, Tyrese Maxey at $40.8 million, VJ Edgecombe at $11.7 million and Dean Wade at $9.0 million. The rest of the sheet is filled by names like Anfernee Simons at $6.0 million, LeBron James at $3.9 million and a run of rookie-scale deals below $4 million.

What does LeBron's contract actually look like?

LeBron James signed a two-season contract worth $8 million total, carrying a $3.9 million cap hit this season. The second year is a $4.1 million player option for 2027-28, meaning he, not Philadelphia, decides whether that money comes off the books when the roster gets tight again.

Does anything come off the books before 2027-28?

Three names carry options for 2027-28: Anfernee Simons can opt into $6.3 million, Justin Edwards has a $2.6 million team option and Adem Bona's team option is worth $2.5 million. Everywhere else the bill grows: Embiid to $62.7 million, Brown to $61.0 million and Maxey to $43.6 million.

What draft capital does Bob Myers have to work with?

Philadelphia owns its 2027 first and second-round picks outright, plus the 2030 first. The 2028 first is protected, the 2028 second is conditional to Brooklyn, the 2029 first carries a swap and the 2030 second is owed to New York. That's the trade capital Myers has above an apron that limits what he can attach to it.

The verdictThe 76ers are paying like a contender before winning a single game this season, and the second apron, not the roster, is what decides how far Bob Myers can push this group. Two team options and a player option are the only real relief valves before 2027-28.

Is Philadelphia over the luxury tax for 2026-27?

Yes. The $213.2 million payroll is above both the $200.4 million tax line and the $209.0 million first apron.

Does Philadelphia control its own first-round picks?

The 2027 and 2030 firsts are fully owned; the 2028 first is protected and the 2029 first only carries a swap.