by Paul George, the nine-time All-Star has officially signed with the Philadelphia 76ers on a four-year, $212 million max contract. This move marks the end of George’s five-year tenure with the Los Angeles Clippers, which was lackluster in comparison to when it was announced. That is due in part to injuries and inconsistency. With the Clippers, he averaged 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game with 46/40/88 splits (eFG% = 54%).
Reasons for Leaving the Clippers
George’s departure from the Clippers was influenced by several factors. Initially, the Clippers were in talks with Golden State to trade George to the Warriors but those talks ended rather quickly. The Clippers offered him a two-year, $80 million contract. Then, negotiations for a three-year, $150 million contract with a no-trade clause also fell through, leading George to seek opportunities elsewhere. The Clippers’ reluctance to meet his contract demands, coupled with the constraints of the NBA’s revised collective bargaining agreement, played a crucial role in his decision to leave.
Reason for Joining the 76ers
This is a great addition for the 76ers and a great landing spot for Paul George as well. It gives the 76ers a chance to have some more much needed scoring and shooting while giving PG a chance to take a lesser ball handling role and more opportunity to work off ball and be a deadly spot up shooter that he has always been. With Maxey becoming the dynamic guard that he is and former league MVP, Joel Embiid being the lead man, Philly should be able to make some noise in the east. It will come down to whether this team can stay healthy or not.
Conclusion
Paul George’s move to the Philadelphia 76ers marks a significant shift in the NBA landscape. His departure from the Clippers and subsequent signing with the 76ers highlight the complexities of contract negotiations and the strategic decisions teams make to build competitive rosters. As George embarks on this new chapter with the Philadelphia 76ers, he adds some more vital firepower that can possibly get them over the hump. This is important especially because of teams like the Knicks getting better with the Bridges trade and Anunoby signing- who eliminated the 76ers in the 1st round of the 2024 postseason. Philly will need everything they can get and have made a good move to give the city some hope!
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