Reports: Sixers restricted free agent Paul Reed signs three-year offer sheet with the Jazz

The Sixers have 48 hours to match or let Reed go. The popular Reed served as Joel Embiid's primary backup last season.

The Sixers will have to make a decision on Paul Reed within the next 48 hours.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer

Published July 8, 2023, 12:29 p.m. ET

Restricted free agent Paul Reed has signed a three-year offer sheet with the Utah Jazz, according to multiple reports, which the 76ers have 48 hours to match. ESPN reports the offer sheet is for $23 million.

The 24-year-old Reed emerged as the Sixers’ backup center in the second half of last season, averaging 4.2 points and 3.8 rebounds in a career-high 69 regular-season games. He has become a fan favorite because of his high-energy playing style and “BBall Paul” nickname.

This news comes less than two days after forward Montrezl Harrell surprisingly agreed to re-sign a one-year deal with the Sixers, despite losing the backup job to Reed and initially declining his player option for 2023-24 in order to become an unrestricted free agent. Earlier this week, the Sixers also agreed to sign center Mo Bamba to a one-year contract.

Reed, a 2020 second-round draft pick out of DePaul, was the G League’s Most Valuable Player while playing for the Delaware Blue Coats his rookie season. He split time between the Sixers and Blue Coats during the 2021-22 campaign, but ascended into that backup center job during the playoffs.

Reed’s offer sheet reportedly has an interesting quirk: While the first season of the contract is fully guaranteed, the next two seasons also become guaranteed if Reed’s team advances to the playoffs’ second round in 2023-24. The Jazz are still rebuilding after trading former stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert last summer, while the Sixers are in win-now mode while anchored by reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid.