The Philadelphia 76ers have officially signed Paul George on Saturday.
As expected, the nine-time All-Star will take the court for Philadelphia in 2024-2025 and beyond. For the Sixers, George will wear No. 8.
All offseason long, the Sixers were rumored to be targeting George as their top priority free agent signing. Not only did Daryl Morey and the front office make it clear they desired an All-Star addition alongside Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid, but they noted that a wing player would be ideal.
George fit Morey’s description and the Sixers seemed to have intrigued the Los Angeles Clippers forward in the weeks leading up to free agency.
Once it became clear that George would opt-out of his player option with the Clippers, it was revealed that he would consider three teams in free agency. A return to the Clippers wasn’t ruled out, but a change of scenery with the Sixers and the Orlando Magic was a possibility.
In the end, George ultimately decided that a move to Philly to join the Sixers would best suit the 34-year-old veteran. The Sixers now have a star trio to work with moving forward.
Last season, the Sixers finished the regular season with a ticket to the Play-In. They clinched the seventh seed after defeating the Miami Heat. In the playoffs, Philly flamed out in the first round for the first time since 2020. In a six-game series against the New York Knicks, the 76ers lost 2-4.
With George, the Sixers hope that his playoff experience could help get them past the Eastern Conference Semifinals round and beyond. Over the course of his career, George has appeared in 114 playoff games. He had six runs with the Indiana Pacers, two with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and three with the Clippers.
Last season, the Clippers lost in six games. George finished the run by averaging 20 points on 37 percent shooting from deep. While George is still searching for his first NBA title, he hopes to help the Sixers get to where they need to be, competing with the top teams in the East, including the current NBA Champions, the Boston Celtics.