PHILADELPHIA — Free agent ahead Paul George has agreed on a four-year, $212 million most contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, sources advised ESPN early Monday morning.
George’s deal — which sources say features a participant choice on the ultimate season in 2027-28 — brings him again to the Jap Convention to associate with MVP middle Joel Embiid and All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey in pursuit of upending the NBA champion Boston Celtics.
George and his agent, Aaron Mintz of CAA, met with a 76ers contingent that included proprietor Josh Harris, president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, normal supervisor Elton Model and Sixers legend Julius Erving in Los Angeles, sources mentioned. The Sixers even introduced a entrance workplace government, Peter Dinwiddie, who’s a well-known face and good friend of George’s from their years along with the Indiana Pacers, sources mentioned.
The assembly got here on the heels of months of unsuccessful negotiations with theLos Angeles Clipperson a deal to remain in his Southern California residence.
Embiid, Maxey and George have been All-Stars final season and kind one of the formidable Huge 3’s in current NBA historical past — that includes a really perfect roster stability between an explosive lead guard in Maxey, an elite two-way wing participant in George and a dominant large man in Embiid. George, a 34-year outdated nine-time All-Star, has spent the previous 5 seasons with the Clippers and averaged 23 factors, six rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.5 steals over 263 common season video games in Los Angeles.
George, traded to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder in 2017 earlier than a commerce to the Clippers as a part of LA’s transfer to signal Kawhi Leonard as a free agent two years later, has moved on. The Clippers and George had been talking for months on a possible deal, however by no means got here near an settlement. George wished four-years on a brand new deal, and the Clippers supplied three, sources mentioned.
The Clippers issued a press release Sunday saying that George had advised them he deliberate to signal with one other crew:
“Paul is an incredible expertise and an elite two-way participant. We really feel lucky for the 5 years we spent with him. Over that span, he went to 3 All-Star Video games, made essentially the most 3-pointers in franchise historical past and helped lead the crew to a spot it had by no means been. His performances in Video games 5 and 6 towards Utah in 2021 will not be forgotten by anybody related to the Clippers.
“We traded rather a lot to pair Paul and Kawhi [Leonard], and in trade, we had 5 seasons of competition. Though we fell wanting our final goal, we respect the possibilities we had with Paul.”
Now, George shall be hoping to succeed in that final goal — profitable an NBA championship — alongside Embiid and Maxey in Philadelphia. The arrival of George may give the Sixers the firepower to tackle the Celtics within the East.
One necessary improvement late on Sunday for George, sources advised ESPN: The Sixers’ settlement on a two-year, $16.3 million take care of taking pictures guard Kelly Oubre Jr., sources mentioned. The 76ers additionally reached agreements with veteran guard Eric Gordon and middle Andre Drummond on Sunday too, sources mentioned.
Because the Pacers drafted him tenth general in 2010, George has turn into one of many NBA’s pre-eminent wing gamers — even whereas recovering from a devastating leg damage suffered forward of the 2014 FIBA World Cup.
George is considered one of eight gamers to make not less than 9 All-Star groups since he entered the league, becoming a member of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis. He is additionally a six-time All-NBA choice, together with being a first-team choice in 2019.
After lacking many of the 2014-15 season, George has re-established himself as one of many prime two-way perimeter gamers within the league, averaging 22.6 factors, 5.2 rebounds and three.5 assists this season.
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