9-time NBA All-Star ahead Paul George will be a part of the Philadelphia 76ers on a four-year, $212 million max contract, league sources mentioned Monday.
George spent the previous 5 seasons with the LA Clippers, the place he averaged 22.6 factors, 5.2 rebounds and three.5 assists this previous season. The Clippers introduced on Sunday evening that the 2 sides have been unable to comply with a contract extension, clearing the way in which for George to maneuver to a unique crew.
He joins a Philadelphia crew spearheaded by two-time scoring champion Joel Embiid and 2023-24 Most Improved Participant Tyrese Maxey — however a franchise that hasn’t superior previous the Japanese Convention semifinals since its final NBA Finals look in 2001. Philadelphia went 47-35 this season and have been eradicated from the playoffs by the New York Knicks within the first spherical.
George, 34, appears to suit the 76ers on each ends of the ground. On offense, George is equally adept as a pick-and-roll ballhandler or in isolation. He’s additionally one of the crucial efficient off-ball stars within the league. George is coming off of a season the place he reached profession highs in field-goal share (47.1), 3-point share (41.3), and free-throw share (90.7). Whereas George has points with turnovers often and has seen his free-throw try fee plummet lately, Maxey and Embiid might ease these considerations. Embiid, the 2023 MVP, would be the centerpiece of Philadelphia’s offense underneath coach Nick Nurse, and Maxey averaged a career-high 25.9 factors per recreation this season, making his first All-Star crew within the course of. When George has it going, the 76ers can trip him. When George needs to defer, he has a number of youthful stars to permit him to play within the background.
On protection, George’s rebounding has fallen off, and he doesn’t tackle as many prime assignments as he used to. However he’s nonetheless a defensive playmaker who has a 6-foot-11 wingspan and energetic fingers. Nurse’s defenses have at all times prioritized forcing turnovers, and George is without doubt one of the finest within the league at creating them.
In the end, the 76ers wanted to make a transfer to try to save this period of their franchise. Embiid established himself as an elite pressure with Ben Simmons from 2017 to 2021, just for Simmons to fall out with the group and be traded for James Harden. Satirically, the Harden commerce to the Clippers final 12 months enabled the 76ers to open up the house to signal George. Whereas George, who shall be underneath contract till age 38, could also be within the second half of his profession, the 76ers have arguably their strongest crew on paper since Jimmy Butler left in 2019. Philadelphia now has the third-best odds (8-1) to win the NBA title, in response to BetMGM, behind the Boston Celtics (3-1) and Denver Nuggets (15-2) and tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Individually, Philadelphia has agreed to phrases to deliver again Kelly Oubre Jr. on a two-year, $16.3 million deal, a league supply confirmed. Oubre, 28, averaged 15.4 factors and 5.0 rebounds per recreation in 68 appearances this season after coming over from Charlotte on a one-year deal.
Required studying
(Photograph: Harry How / Getty Photos)
