Amid the turmoil of the NBA's free agency market, another shocking trade has settled. On July 1, Beijing time, according to Woj, a well-known reporter for ESPN, a giant in the free market, forward Paul George, decided to join the Philadelphia 76ers with a four-year contract with a maximum salary of $212 million, injecting new vitality into this Eastern powerhouse.
Negotiations between George and the Clippers on a contract extension have been going on for months, with the two sides unable to agree on the length of the contract. George insisted on a four-year contract, while the Clippers were only willing to offer a three-year contract. After much deliberation, George finally chose to leave the Clippers and return to the Eastern Conference, joining forces with MVP center Joel Embiid and All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey to challenge for an NBA championship.
The 34-year-old is a nine-time All-Star in his career and has played for the Clippers for the past five seasons, showing a high level of athleticism and leadership. In the regular season last season, he averaged 33.8 minutes per game, contributing 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals to the team. In the playoffs, he played an average of 37 minutes per game, scoring 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.2 steals, becoming an indispensable core player of the team.
Joining the 76ers this time, George will join Embiid and Maxey to form a strong Big Three lineup. Embiid, as the league's top center, has excellent dominance under the basket and outside shooting; Maxey, on the other hand, is an all-round defender who excels in scoring, assisting, and defending. The tacit cooperation and chemistry of the three will undoubtedly make the 76ers one of the most competitive teams in the East and even the league.
For George, this is a new beginning and an important step towards the championship. For the 76ers, George's addition will undoubtedly inject new vitality and confidence into the team, and they will show more outstanding strength and style in future games. Let's look forward to the wonderful performance of this new 76ers team in the new season!