New Details About P.J. Tucker’s Contract With Sixers Revealed
Going into free agency, the Philadelphia 76ers had their sights set on landing Miami Heat veteran forward P.J. Tucker. Just last year, Tucker was coming off of a championship run with the Milwaukee Bucks and was set to hit the open market.
After considering several teams, Tucker landed on the Heat and signed a two-year deal. However, Tucker's second season was a player option. Following a run to the Eastern Conference Finals, Tucked declined his player option with the Heat, which signaled he was set to test free agency once again.
A return to Miami wasn't ruled out for Tucker, but it was becoming clear that he would likely find a new team to play with moving forward. Considering Tucker has familiarity with the Sixers, they were the one team consistently linked to the veteran forward.
Sure enough, when free agency opened up last Thursday, Tucker and the Sixers reportedly agreed to a three-year deal worth $33 million. On Wednesday, Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey made the signing official with a press release.
"P.J. Tucker is one of the most respected and relentless competitors in our game and is the type of competitor our fans will love and embrace," Morey said. "We're excited to add his leadership, toughness, defensive versatility, and championship pedigree to our roster. P.J. wants to deliver an NBA title to Philadelphia, and his work ethic and mentality make him an impactful addition to our team and city."
Per team policy, Morey did not disclose Tucker's contract terms during his announcement of the signing. But according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, Tucker's three-year deal has a player option attached for the third and final year of the new deal.
In year one, Tucker is on pace to make $10.4 million with the Sixers, according to Spotrac. His deal will be worth a little over $11 million in year two. If he picks up the option ahead of the 2024-2025 season, Tucker could make $11.5 million with the 76ers before hitting the open market once more.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.