The Celtics’ task of defending their NBA and Eastern Conference titles the following season got harder on Monday morning.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the 76ers and Paul George have reached an agreement on a four-year contract worth a maximum of $212 million. After parting ways with the Los Angeles Clippers, George was undoubtedly the finest player available. He will join Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey in Philadelphia to create the new “Big Three.”
The Sixers great Julius Erving, general manager Elton Brand, president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, owner Josh Harris, and agent Aaron Mintz of CAA met with George and the other members of the 76ers delegation in Los Angeles, according to Wojnarowski’s report. “Sources said that George is well-known to and friendly with Peter Dinwiddie, a front office executive from the Indiana Pacers, who was also brought in by the Sixers.”
The 76ers are coming off a season in which they were eliminated by the New York Knicks in the opening round of the playoffs. The team hasn’t gone past the conference semifinals since the 2000–01 campaign. George, on the other hand, participated in his highest number of games (74) since the 2018–19 season and was an All-Star in each of the previous two seasons.
