Audacious Paul George to pursue championship with 76ers

Paul George has joined Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid to form a formidable trio that will bring the Philadelphia 76ers their first title since 1983.

Before George, Tyrese Maxey was asked to be patient, and the millions he wanted will come.

Perhaps an NBA championship too.

Maxey was sceptical a year ago when the 76ers asked their guard; who was not yet an All-Star, had not dropped 50 points in a match three times to wait until this summer to sign a contract extension. 

Philadelphia had a solid plan: Maxey would start the offseason with a salary cap hold of $13 million dollars, a low figure by NBA standards. However, this allowed the team to enter free agency with roughly $65 million to spend on building their roster. They added a possible superstart to join Tyrese and 2023 NBA MVP and Olympian Joel Embiid.

Enter, Paul George.

With money to splurge, the 76ers convinced George to leave the Los Angeles Clippers. He signed a four-year, $212 million contract with them. Philadelphia and team president Daryl Morey did not forget about Maxey, either. The NBA’s Most Improved Player, Maxey was compensated for his patience with a five-year, $204 million extension. The 76ers dedicated over $400 million in salary to two players. They believe places them as the top competitors to defeat the NBA champion Boston Celtics and Jayson Tatum.

The 76ers gave Maxey his due for the biggest assist of his career.

“By being patient, he allowed us to put this offseason together, to really put us in position to be one of the very few legitimate contenders in the league this year,” Morey said.

The 76ers believe they were worthy contenders for years, only for a group of second-fiddlers to pass through town with nothing much to show except postseason busts for their time here. Sixers fans can read off the list of lemons easily, from Ben Simmons to Tobias Harris; from Jimmy Butler to Al Horford; from Markelle Fultz to James Harden.

George and Maxey both sat for their first formal press conferences on Tuesday at the 76ers’ New Jersey complex. This is complete with ownership, the front office and even the All-Star duo, insisting that next season will be as good as it gets for the team.

“I think we are set up,” team owner Josh Harris said. “It’s hard not to be excited about this team. I’ve been here for the last 10 years, 12 years, and this is among, if not the best team, we’ve had since I’ve been here.”

Maxey basically took a leap of faith by believing that he would still get the money a year later and the 21st overall pick in the 2020 draft has found a home in Philadelphia.

“I understood what the end goal was,” Maxey said. “Sometimes you have to realise that.”

George, who has averaged 20.8 points over a 14-year career, wanted to move on from the Clippers and refused a player option in his contract for $48.8 million in 2024-25 that ended a five-year stretch with the team in which he averaged at least 21.5 points each season.

George said “Philly was No. 1″ for his top choice in free agency because the 76ers “kind of fit my game and fit where I was at in my career.”

Perhaps.

Philadelphia, rose to the top spot more because they offered up to $60 million over the Clippers; offer, one that George referred to as “disrespectful.’’

George stated earlier this month on his podcast that he “never wanted to leave LA’’ and would have signed with the Clippers had they given the three-year, $150-million extension they offered Kawhi Leonard. He also wanted a no-trade clause. He said Los Angeles would not give him a four-year, $212-million contract, or any deal without the promise of a no-trade clause.

George said on Tuesday there was no “ill will’’ toward the Clippers. He thanked the team for allowing him to play in his home city and for a “legitimate shot to chase a championship every season.’’

He essentially traded a Big Three with Leonard and Harden in Los Angeles for a chance to join Maxey and Embiid and form a triple treat in Philly.

“Joel has secretly been one of my closest All-Star Game friends,” George said. “It kind of felt inevitable that at some point, we would link up and be teammates.”

George was enticed at his California home by a contingent that included Harris, Morey, coach Nick Nurse and even 76ers legend and Hall of Famer Julius Erving. Weather delays forced a late arrival at George’s home.