Jazz News: 76ers’ Paul Reed Says He Didn’t Actually Want to Go to Utah

Could the Jazz’s offer sheet to Reed have been a negotiation tactic to return to the 76ers all along?

Despite Paul Reed opting to initially sign a $24M/3-year offer sheet with the Utah Jazz, it seems like that wasn’t quite his first option. Now re-signed with the Philadelphia 76ers after they matched the offer, Reed talked in an interview with The John Kincade Show on 97.5 The Fanatic describing how going to Utah wasn’t on his radar.

"I’m glad [Philadelphia] was able to match the offer. … That’s not a place that I had in mind, but business is business.”

Reed did get a nice job of getting the maximum amount of money he could on the open market, but his comments have to leave somewhat of a sour taste in the mouth of Jazz fans.

It is a business, but Reed simply would have little interest in joining Utah unless it resulted with a contract value of over $20 million. Does this make Reed the NBA's version of a shady gold digger? Possibly.

However, in the end, Paul Reed got what he wanted all along a long-term deal to return to Philadelphia.

Luckily for Jazz fans, Danny Ainge may get the last laugh in this story based on the new contractual implications for the 76ers. Instead of what likely would’ve been just a one-year guaranteed contract for Reed in Utah will be three years of guaranteed money for Philadelphia, so long as they reach the second round next season.

The decision to match Reed’s offer also gets Philly a $14M payment in luxury tax by bringing back Reed despite earlier decisions to retain Montrezl Harrell and signing Mo Bamba.

Now, Philly is practically paying $20M to bring back Reed, who may end up as a third-stringer in the rotation. And where does that luxury tax money go you may ask? Right into the pockets of teams who decide not to enter the tax, like the Utah Jazz.

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Bottom Line:

The Jazz will be just fine without Paul Reed, and Paul Reed will be just fine without Utah. Utah has enough depth at the position that made the signing a luxury.  The Jazz can now fortunately use this freed-up money to land another potentially impactful free agent still standing on the market. This time, hopefully for someone with a true desire to play in Salt Lake City...

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