The best max deal the Sixers handed out on Monday:

Fully guaranteed, no options, and on the same day as Mike Muscala’s birthday. That’s poetic.

Because without Muscala none of this happens:

The Most Improved Player deserves every penny. Maxey waited a year, which opened up the max contract spot that later became Paul George. Maxey being as good as he is has kept the championship window open longer than it necessarily would have after all the player drama and bad contracts that have surrounded the Sixers over the last couple of years. The new Big 3 for the Sixers averaged 83 points a game last year. Now a fan favorite could be the only franchise player still left from the 2020s if/when the Sixers open up a new arena in 2032.

Play the song: