This Day in Sports Business History October 10

On October 10, 2017, the Philadelphia 76ers signed center Joel Embiid to a five-year, $148 million maximum contract extension, betting that the injury-prone but dominant big man would anchor their long-awaited championship run. While Embiid went on to become an MVP and one of the league’s premier players, the massive deal ultimately hasn’t delivered the results the Sixers hoped for. The investment symbolized Philadelphia’s full commitment to “The Process,” but eight years later, that process remains unfulfilled from a championship standpoint.