PROFESSIONAL players agree to deals with clauses put into contracts. Among others, it includes the buyout clause where the team and the player mutually decide to go separate ways.
There are clauses on riding motorcycles and driving under the influence which could result in stiff fines or suspension.
Most athletes, aside from their main source of income, also play other sports and these clauses don’t actually prohibit them from playing other sports in the off season, but they should inform their team about it because if a player gets injured playing another sport and did not disclose it to the team’s medical staff, he will be fined or suspended for his actions. This is more of an honesty clause.
Then there are the incentive and bonus clauses. Some had signed huge deals but at some point, got injured for an extended period. A provision is then put into the contract stating that he must play a certain number of minutes to have a part of the amount of the deal guaranteed.
The NBA had prorated the performance and incentive bonuses with March 11 as the cut-off for the regular season, not counting the eight additional seeding games still to be played in Orlando.
This is the case of Joel Embiid. Back in 2017, he signed a five-year max contract extension with the Philadelphia 76ers worth $148 million that included financial protection for the team had he suffered career ending injuries.
He had played a total of 1,329 minutes this season, which was 321 minutes short of the needed 1,650 minutes to fully guarantee the contract. But prorated over the Sixers’ 65 games played, it lowered Embiid’s requirement to less than his total minutes played.
Officially meeting the minutes-played criteria, he gets the final three years and $95 million guaranteed. The third pick of the 2014 Draft averaged 30.2 minutes, 23.4 points and 11.8 rebounds in 44 games in the pandemic shortened season.
Named to three consecutive All-Stars, Philadelphia is happy to have him for three more years.
COVID caused pro leagues around the world to lose significant amounts of money but Embiid had himself a cash windfall. The 26-year old used to gorge on Krispy Kreme donuts but has since dropped the sugar cravings and is on the best shape in his career.
He originally wanted to play pro volleyball in Europe and only started to play basketball when he was 15. Embiid and fellow Cameroonian Paskal Siakam was discovered by former NBA player and countryman Luc Mbah a Moute./PN
