Monday 1 July 2019 06:40, UK
Veteran power forward Al Horford committed to joining the Philadelphia 76ers by accepting a four-year deal that reportedly could be worth $109m and small forward Tobias Harris decided to remain with the club by agreeing to a five-year, $180m deal.
Both deals were reached in the hours after the free agency period opened on Sunday night. No deals can officially be signed until July 6.
Harris made the decision shortly after he met with the club's brass at the 76ers' training facility.
Horford considered an offer to remain with the Boston Celtics but ultimately accepted the Philadelphia deal that includes $97m in guaranteed money and $12m in bonuses tied to championships, according to ESPN.
The 76ers also are in the process of parting ways with small forward Jimmy Butler. ESPN reported that Philadelphia and the Miami Heat were finalising a sign-and-trade in which Butler would go to Miami for shooting guard Josh Richardson, while Goran Dragic will go from Miami to Dallas.
On a whirlwind opening evening, Philadelphia also re-signed reserve forward Mike Scott to a two-year, $9.8m contract and watched guard JJ Redick leave for the New Orleans Pelicans on a two-year, $26.5m deal.
The 33-year-old Horford recently declined a $30.1mn option to stay with Boston, becoming a free agent.
Horford spent the past three seasons in Boston since arriving on a free agent deal from Atlanta, where he played the first nine seasons of his career. The five-time All-Star averaged 13.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 68 games for the Celtics last season.
He has career averages of 14.1 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists.
Harris was pleased to work things out with the 76ers.
"In every way, I am thrilled to be staying with the 76ers and getting to work on everything - playing with my team-mates again, impacting young people and, yes, bringing a championship back to Philadelphia," he said in a first-person account told to ESPN. "I can't wait to get started."
Harris was acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers in February and averaged 18.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 27 games with Philly. Overall, he averaged a career-best 20 points per game, including 55 contests with the Clippers prior to the trade.
Harris' and Horford's deals might not be the lone big-money transactions the 76ers wrap up.
Multiple outlets are reporting that the club and point guard Ben Simmons are in the process of working out an extension. The two sides reportedly have discussed a five-year commitment.
Harris, who turns 27 on July 15, is looking forward to staying with one team for a while. He has played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons as well as the Clippers and 76ers during his eight NBA campaigns.
Also, he feels Philadelphia has winning in its future. The club lost to the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference semi-finals this season but is built around a bona fide star in standout Joel Embiid.
"As soon as I arrived from the Los Angeles Clippers in February, I could see the possibilities with this group of players, organisation and city," Harris said.
"We've got unfinished business, and I'm ready to commit to a long-term vision of bringing a title to Philadelphia. From the moment I arrived in Philadelphia, the city has embraced me. This is an incredible sports town and it's hungry for an NBA title. So are the Sixers - and so am I.
"We had a talented group and made a great run all the way to Game 7 against the eventual NBA champions, the Toronto Raptors. We will always remember Kawhi Leonard's shot bouncing on the rim, and finally, falling through the net. It was a heartbreaking loss, the kind that motivates you to want to get back into the playoffs - and go even further."
Scott was also part of the deal in which Harris was traded to Philadelphia. He averaged 7.8 points in 27 games.
The 30-year-old has career averages of 7.1 points and 3.1 rebounds in 436 games over seven NBA seasons.
