NBA
Joel Embiid reacts to Paul George joining the Philadelphia 76ers
After rejecting the Clippers’ offer of a new contract, George will link up with the Sixers and fellow All-Stars Embid and Tyrese Maxey.
A matter of hours after the Los Angeles Clippers announced Paul George would be leaving for another team and hitting free agency, it was reported the 34-year-old would be joining up with Joel Embiid at the Philadelphia 76ers.
Paul George’s Sixers deal
According to ESPN’s senior NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski, George has “agreed on a four-year, $212 million maximum contract” with the Sixers, one of the most eye-catching moves of the summer so far. Speculation had linked the nine-time NBA All-Star with a move to Philadelphia ever since they had traded James Harden away to the Clippers in November.
The small forward averaged at least 21.5 points per game in each of his five seasons in Los Angeles but was unable to lead the California franchise to their first ever NBA Championship. A Western Conference Finals defeat to the Phoenix Suns in 2021 the closest he came.
George, Embiid and the NBA Championship
Now, however, there is belief that George, despite his advancing years, can win his first championship with the 76ers, where he will link up with center Embiid and point guard Tyrese Maxey. Between them, George and Embiid are 16-time NBA All-Stars, while 23-year-old Maxey was selected for the first time in 2024.
Chris Haynes, senior NBA reporter for TNT and Bleacher Report, revealed that George had had a a “bad breakup” with the Clippers, caused by the franchise not agreeing to his demands for a new contract.
And he also gave a little bit of insight into Embiid’s delight at linking up with a fellow All-Star. “I spoke with Joel a little bit. He’s excited. They’re definitely a title contending team when whole and healthy”.
How many times have the Sixers won the NBA Championship? When was the last time?
The Philadelphia 76ers have won three NBA Championships, but the last of those came all the way back in 1983. Last season, they finished 7th in the Eastern Conference and were defeated in the first round of the NBA Playoffs by the New York Knicks.