Sixers pick up club options on Maxey and Springer for 2023-24 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Sixers announced Sunday night that they’ve exercised both Jaden Springer’s third-year option and Tyrese Maxey’s fourth-year option for the 2023-24 season.
Monday is the deadline for NBA teams to pick up rookie-scale options. Springer’s salary for next season will be approximately $2.2 million, per Spotrac, while Maxey is set to make $4.3 million.
Maxey, who will turn 22 years old Friday, looks poised to earn a much higher salary down the line. The 21st pick in the 2020 NBA draft just scored a career-best 44 points and made a career-high nine three-pointers against the Raptors. On a veteran-heavy team, he appears to be a long-term piece who may very well keep improving thanks in large part to his love for hard work.
The Sixers took Springer 28th in the 2021 draft following his one season at Tennessee. He celebrated his 20th birthday in late September.
Though Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey this summer forecasted a “huge step” for Springer, he again has been outside of the team’s rotation and seems likely to play plenty of minutes in the G League with the Delaware Blue Coats. Head coach Doc Rivers said on Oct. 8 that Springer is “an NBA defender right now” but requires further development offensively. Outside shooting is a significant question mark after Springer went just 24.1 percent from three-point range during last regular season in the G League.
“We’re still working on him,” Rivers said. “We’ve allowed him to play a lot of point guard. … We’re trying to find a position that he can play. I actually think he’s more comfortable. He’s not a point guard, but he’s way more comfortable there than trying to force it as much, because he has the ball in his hands more. I thought (in) camp overall, he did a great job at that spot. We’re going to do a little bit of that in the G League, as well.”
In addition to Springer and Maxey, the Sixers currently have Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris, P.J. Tucker, De’Anthony Melton and Furkan Korkmaz under contract for the 2023-24 campaign. James Harden, Montrezl Harrell and Danuel House Jr. have player options that they’ll make decisions on after this season.
Matisse Thybulle, who’s playing this year under his fourth-year club option, will become a restricted free agent.
