We have our first blockbuster deal of the offseason! In a surprising twist, Paul George decided to decline his player option to head to free agency. After months of struggling to find a middle ground, the Los Angeles Clippers star decided to look for other options for his new contract. Less than 24 hours after that decision, Paul George decided to sign a four-year, $212 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 76ers have long been looking for that proper combination around Joel Embiid. However, one thing they've truly lacked was an elite wing presence. Their last great wing partner for Embiid was Jimmy Butler, and he was excellent for them. George fits in that same archetype… although it's not as clean of a fit as one might want.
Let's analyze this deal and how the 76ers did in their quest to sign Paul George.
Pros: A true star alongside Embiid
Let's get the positives for this first. Obviously, George is a massive upgrade for the 76ers. We touched on the Sixers having Jimmy Butler at one point. While that team is so much different than the current iteration of ther roster, Butler proved how important having an elite presence on the wing is. His ability to defend the opponent's best player as well as create in isolation proved to be vital in the playoffs. If not for Kawhi Leonard's four bounces, we might be talking about the 76ers differently.
Paul George is built from the same archetype as Jimmy Butler: an athletic wing player who can also be the first option with their ball-handling. One might consider George to be a slightly better player: he's elite on defense as well, but has a better three-point shot. The Sixers will definitely love to have PG around, as he will be an upgrade to the starting lineup.
With PG around, the Sixers have their Big 3 for the foreseeable future. Tyrese Maxey has elevated his game and is now a bona fide All-Star in the NBA. Joel Embiid is an MVP-caliber player who has multiple playoff experiences under his belt. George will hopefully be the player that finally pushed the 76ers out of the second round hole they're in.
Cons: injuries, injuries, injuries
Here's the problem with the contract, though. George is 34 years old. He's still moving pretty well for a 34-year old wing, but he's old by NBA standards. We typically see players start to fall off once they're in their mid-to-late 30s. There's a chance that George's play suddenly regresses due to the wear and tear on his body.
That's not even mentioning George's troubling injury history. Last season, PG played in 74 games. That's a pretty good number, right? Well, until you realize that it was the first time since the 2018-19 season that George eclipsed 56 games played. With Embiid also being pretty injury-prone, you have to be a tad bit worried that this 76ers team might fall apart before the playoffs even start.
Giving an aging, injury-prone star four years and $212 million is not a good idea in a vacuum. There's just too much risk for that much money. However, the 76ers needed to make this deal. George was the best player on the market, and Embiid is itching for a ring. Philly needs to give their star the best possible chance of winning the title… or they risk losing him as well.
Overall, it's a pretty solid move for the 76ers to sign Paul George. There are some risks, but no deal is perfect. If Philly wins their first championship in the middle of this deal, then it would be all worth it.
Grade: B+
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