As Pope joined the Magic, more and more top-tier 3-and-Ds jumped out of their contracts and entered the free agency market, earning higher salaries, and so did George.
According to a report by ESPN's well-known reporter Woj, George is already unlikely to return to the Clippers, and the two sides have reached a consensus. Another reporter, Shams, also revealed that the 76ers are the frontrunners in the battle for George, and the two sides are about to meet to continue discussing something.
According to salary experts, George is eligible to sign a four-year, $212 million contract with the 76ers, which is less than the four-year, $221 million contract he could sign with the Clippers. George actually had a $48.7 million player option on his last contract, but he chose to refuse to exercise it and become a free agent because Clippers management did not offer George a long-term contract with a maximum salary. However, the Clippers would rather lose George for nothing than trade with the Warriors, and may feel that players such as Paul, Payton Jr., and Looney cannot help the team.
Subsequently, the Warriors also cut Paul, who is interested in returning to the Clippers. Perhaps because of this, the Clippers want to trade Willow, possibly to make room for Paul's arrival.
According to media reports, the 76ers are also willing to offer George a four-year, $212 million maximum salary contract, so as to form a super triumvirate with Maxey, George, and Embiid as the core.
In the 2023-24 regular season, George averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game, and in the playoffs, George averaged 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game.
George's stats may not be the star of the house in a team, but being a three-leader or a four-leader is an inexplicable existence, after all, Embiid and Maxey are still higher than George's average points per game in the playoffs. The 76ers want to bring in George, apparently seeing the path of the Celtics to win the championship in the 23-24 season - full of role players, and the core superstar almost has a chance to win the championship.
Once George can join the 76ers, then forward Harris will not return, and with Batum, who has previously reported that he will not return to Philadelphia, the team's resources on the wing will still have to be strengthened. However, the former league's rebounding king Zhuang Shen has chosen to return, and the 76ers' interior strength is still as terrifying as last season.
In this way, the competition in the East next season will be more intense, not only with the strong lineup of the defending champion Celtics, but also with the strengthened Knicks also have the strength to reach the division finals, plus the Magic team that has only introduced the top 3D pop, it will be more and more difficult for the Bucks to win the championship.