Joel Embiid is the latest NBA player to offer up financial support for those impacted by COVID-19. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Embiid will fork over a whole lot of cash to support those on the front lines fighting the spread of the virus, along with some additional money with the goal of helping Philadelphia 76ers employees who could use a hand right now.
76ers star Joel Embiid says he is donating $500,000 to coronavirus relief and helping team workers who are temporarily reducing their salary during pandemic.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 24, 2020
While that says $500,000, both Charania and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN indicated that it’s a bit more than that. Embiid’s donation of $500,000 is going to healthcare workers, while it’s still up in the air how much will go to Sixers employees.
For Joel Embiid, the $500,000 donation will go toward health and medical relief. The amount toward 76ers employees is to be determined based upon who is affected. https://t.co/HvjVlWcKhU
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 24, 2020
Philadelphia 76ers star @JoelEmbiid has decided to pledge $500K to COVID-19 medical relief—to help survival and protection efforts in the community. AND he’s committed to helping Sixers employees who will suffer financial hardship in light of the franchise’s salary reductions.
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) March 24, 2020
As Shelburne noted, the Sixers’ ownership group, which also owns the New Jersey Devils, has taken measures to cut back salaries for some employees. As Marc Stein of the New York Times explained on Monday evening, the ownership group put in place a temporary pay cut for at-will employees who make more than $50,000 a year, something that was eventually confirmed in a statement by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment.
Sixers and Devils at-will employees were informed today that temporary salary reductions of up to 20 percent will be instituted for employees making more than $50,000 starting April 15 through the end of June, @NYTSports has learned
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) March 23, 2020
The Sixers and Devils, through Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment CEO Scott O’Neil, have confirmed @NYTSports’ report earlier tonight of salary reductions for full-time employees in both organizations with the following statement: pic.twitter.com/N7LMgvACAV
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) March 24, 2020
Stein noted that contracted employees within the Devils and Sixers organizations cannot be forced into this sort of thing. Instead, they are being asked to take voluntary pay cuts, and while some, like Sixers general manager Elton Brand, have agreed to this arrangement, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported that there is unsurprising apprehension to the idea of a 20 percent salary reduction when there is so much uncertainty about the coming days, weeks, and months.
Members of Sixers coaching staff and front office on contracts have until Thursday to agree to 20 percent salary reduction, sources tell ESPN. Among many so far, there's apprehension on committing to giving back money — especially with uncertainty surrounding employment futures.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 24, 2020
Only at-will employees — over $50K a year in salary — are required to accept the Sixers salary reductions. Those under contract are needed to "volunteer" to do it. https://t.co/irBrW1DNpm
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 24, 2020
Wojnarowski also reported that this while the Sixers were the first team to do this, similar measures are on the table for other franchises, which are trying to figure out if doing something like this would be worth the PR hit.
Other NBA owners are watching Sixers and weighing the PR fallout vs. desire to do the same with salary reductions — including some considering furloughs, staff cutbacks, etc. No owner wants to log into Twitter and see his net worth trending after announcing this kind of news.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 24, 2020
While the responsibility to take care of workers should not fall on athletes, we have still seen a number of NBA players exhibit stunning displays of generosity over the last few weeks. Embiid, who plays for a team with a principal owner whose net worth is estimated to be just under $4 billion, is the latest example of this.
