The Sixers will reportedly extend a qualifying offer to Paul Reed, making the 24-year-old a restricted free agent.
HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported the news Wednesday night. According to Spotrac, Reed’s qualifying offer is approximately $2.3 million.
With Reed now a restricted free agent, the Sixers will be able to match any offers he receives from other teams.
Reed has earned the role of Joel Embiid’s primary backup the past two postseasons. He displayed maturation last season, absorbing regular criticism about mental lapses and unwise decisions. The DePaul product learned from assistant/skill development coach Dwayne Jones, veteran teammates P.J. Tucker and James Harden, and many other parties.
Reed has “never doubted” himself, he said during the playoffs last year.
He’s remained an excellent rebounder, piled up blocks and steals frequently, and developed a better understanding of how to harness his exceptional energy in productive ways. Reed posted double-doubles in both playoff games Embiid missed with a right knee injury. In the first, he grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds, including eight offensive boards. In the second, Reed made four consecutive clutch free throws against the Celtics.
Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey selected Reed with the 58th pick in the 2020 NBA draft. Morey has enjoyed Reed’s rise from two-way contract player to G League MVP to every-game NBA backup big man.
Montrezl Harrell, who Reed competed with internally last season, has declined his player option. Dewayne Dedmon, a mid-season center signing who finished firmly behind Reed on the Sixers’ depth chart, is an unrestricted free agent.
Scott also reported that the Sixers are not expected to extend Louis King a qualifying offer. King was one of the Sixers’ two-way players during the 2022-23 season and made a single NBA appearance, scoring 20 points in the team’s regular-season finale against the Nets.
Undrafted rookies Ricky Council IV, Terquavion Smith and Azuolas Tubelis have agreed to two-way deals with the Sixers.