Getty Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Philadelphia 76ers have a boatload of salary cap space and their eyes on multiple free agent targets, the most prized of which is two-way superstar Paul George.
Official negotiations between Philly and the former Los Angeles Clippers forward, who opted out of the final year of his contract in L.A. on Saturday, can begin at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday evening, June 30.
Just a few hours ahead of the NBA’s free agency opening bell, Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report indicated “growing optimism” among the organization that the team will ink George to a new deal, pairing him with former MVP Joel Embiid and current All-Star Tyrese Maxey.
B/R Sources: There’s growing optimism the Philadelphia 76ers will land Paul George in free agency.
“B/R Sources: There’s growing optimism the Philadelphia 76ers will land Paul George in free agency,” Haynes posted on his X account.
Paul George Produced Monster Season for Clippers in 2023-24, Couldn’t Secure Max Contract in L.A.
GettyPaul George, formerly of the Los Angeles Clippers, could soon be a member of the Philadelphia 76ers.
George earned All-Star honors last season, the ninth time he has done so in his 14-year professional career, on the strength of 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals across 74 games played in L.A., according to Basketball Reference.
He opted out of the final year of his deal with Los Angeles after the two sides spent months trying to reach an agreement on a contract extension. The Clippers could have offered George a four-year max deal worth $221 million. However, the team signed his co-star Kawhi Leonard to a three-year contract worth a total of $149.7 million and wanted to bring George back on a similar structure.
George signed a four-year deal with Los Angeles worth $176.3 million in December 2020, foregoing the final $48.8 million on that deal over the weekend so as to re-enter free agency for one last massive payday ahead of his age 34 season. Philadelphia can offer George a four-year deal worth $212 million, which the team is prepared to do based on reporting from Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports Sunday.
Paul George’s Injury History Is Problematic Alongside Joel Embiid in Philadelphia
GettyPaul George, formerly of the Los Angeles Clippers.
One of the issues with a four-year max in Los Angeles was George’s injury history, which will be a concern in Philly should he land there. Before his 74-game season in 2023-24, George appeared in a total of 48, 54, 31 and 56 regular-season games, respectively, across his first four years with the franchise.
Leonard also has a treacherous injury history over the past five seasons, which gave the Clippers serious pause with regards to signing up both men to lead their franchise through essentially the end of the decade. That hesitancy has ultimately resulted in George’s availability and the 76ers’ status as frontrunners to land the elite two-way star.
That said, George’s injury history should be a serious concern for the Sixers, especially in the context of Embiid’s health problems throughout his career. Embiid didn’t play at all in 2014-15 or 2015-16 due to a foot injury.
In the eight years since, the now 30-year-old center has never appeared in more than 68 regular-season contests and has also suffered health problems in the playoffs multiple times, which have cut short multiple Philly postseason runs.