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Cap Watch: $213.2 Million Buys Three Scorers and Not Much Else

Above the tax line, above the first apron, and the picks that paid for Jaylen Brown are already spent.

5 questions
By the 76ers Nightly Desk · Wednesday, October 14

Philadelphia's $213.2 million payroll sits above the $200.4 million tax line and the $209.0 million first apron, with Embiid, Brown and Maxey carrying most of it. The draft capital that financed the Brown trade is largely gone, leaving Edgecombe and Wade's cheap production as the roster's main source of flexibility.

76ers Nightly artwork
Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

How far over the apron is this roster?

Philadelphia carries $213.2 million in payroll against a $165.0 million salary cap. That's above the $200.4 million luxury tax line and the $209.0 million first apron, and still below the $221.7 million second apron - the tier that strips away the most roster-building tools. For now, Philadelphia only has to deal with the first apron's restrictions.

What are the three stars actually making?

Joel Embiid is the top salary on this roster at $58.1 million this season, rising to $62.7 million in 2027-28. Jaylen Brown sits right behind him at $57.1 million, climbing to $61.0 million. Tyrese Maxey is at $40.8 million now and $43.6 million next year. Those raises are locked in - the question is whether the production keeps pace with the money.

Who's actually cheap on this roster?

VJ Edgecombe is making $11.7 million this season on his rookie deal, rising to $12.2 million next year. Dean Wade sits at $9.0 million, going to $9.4 million in 2027-28. Compare those numbers to Embiid's $58.1 million or Brown's $57.1 million, and the production-per-dollar gap is the best argument for keeping both of them exactly where they are.

Which contracts actually give this front office an out?

Anfernee Simons has a $6.3 million player option for 2027-28, and LeBron James holds a $4.1 million player option the same year. On the team side, Dominick Barlow's $3.4 million, Justin Edwards' $2.6 million and Adem Bona's $2.5 million are all team options - the cheapest, easiest exits on the entire sheet, because none of that money belongs to a star.

What's left of the draft stash after the Brown trade?

Philadelphia still owns its 2027 first, 2027 second and 2030 first outright. The 2028 first is protected and the 2029 first is tied to a swap. Two seconds are already gone: the 2028 second to Brooklyn, the 2030 second to New York. That's the bill for sending two firsts and two seconds to Boston to get Jaylen Brown.

The verdictThis roster is expensive, already past the first apron, and thin on second-round picks after bankrolling the Brown trade. Edgecombe and Wade's cheap production is the only real cushion left if ownership wants to keep building without hitting the second apron.
Are the 76ers over the NBA luxury tax this season?

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

Do the 76ers control their own first-round picks?

They own the 2027 and 2030 firsts outright; the 2028 first is protected and the 2029 first is tied to a swap.

By the 76ers Nightly Desk, written from the club's data and the reports on file, with every name and number checked against them. How the desks work.

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