Paul George agrees to 4-year, $212M deal with Philadelphia 76ers, ESPN sources say

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 Japanese 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, common supervisor Elton Model and Sixers legend Julius Erving in Los Angeles, sources stated. The Sixers even introduced a entrance workplace govt, Peter Dinwiddie, who’s a well-recognized face and buddy of George’s from their years along with the Indiana Pacers, sources stated.

The assembly got here on the heels of months of unsuccessful negotiations with theLos Angeles Clipperson a deal to remain in his Southern California dwelling.

Embiid, Maxey and George have been All-Stars final season and type probably the most formidable Massive 3’s in current NBA historical past — that includes a really perfect roster steadiness between an explosive lead guard in Maxey, an elite two-way wing participant in George and a dominant huge 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 George, a 34-year outdated nine-time All-Star, has spent the previous 5 seasons with the Clippers and averaged 23 factors, six rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.5 steals over 263 common season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 needed four-years on a brand new deal, and the Clippers provided three, sources stated.

The Clippers issued an announcement Sunday saying that George had advised them he deliberate to signal with one other group:

“Paul is an amazing 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 probably the most 3-pointers in franchise historical past and helped lead the group 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 quite a bit to pair Paul and Kawhi [Leonard], and in trade, we had 5 seasons of competition. Though we fell wanting our final goal, we recognize the probabilities we had with Paul.”

Now, George will probably be hoping to succeed in that final goal — successful 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 essential growth 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 stated. The 76ers additionally reached agreements with veteran guard Eric Gordon and middle Andre Drummond on Sunday too, sources stated.

For the reason that Pacers drafted him tenth total in 2010, George has grow to be 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 certainly one of eight gamers to make at the very least 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 a lot of the 2014-15 season, George has re-established himself as one of many high two-way perimeter gamers within the league, averaging 22.6 factors, 5.2 rebounds and three.5 assists this season.