New Delhi, July 1, 2024
Philadelphia 76ers and Paul George have reached an agreement to bring the nine-time NBA all-star to the ‘City of Brotherly love’, say reports.
George will sign a four year maximum deal with the 76ers which will amount to 212 million US Dollars.
His deal includes a player option for the final season in 2027-28, returning him to the Eastern Conference to team up with MVP center Joel Embiid and All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey in an attempt to dethrone the NBA champion Boston Celtics, according to a report by ESPN.
The Los Angeles Clippers and Paul George had been in conversations for months but a deal never materialised as it is said the two parties could not agree on the length of the contract. George was said to be insisting on a four-year deal whereas the Clippers wanted to keep him on for only three more years, the report said.
However, the Clippers released a statement on Sunday confirming his departure from the franchise.
“Paul is a tremendous talent and an elite two-way player. We feel fortunate for the five years we spent with him.
Over that span, he went to three All-Star Games, made the most 3-pointers in franchise history and helped lead the team to a place it had never been. His performances in Games 5 and 6 against Utah in 2021 won’t be forgotten by anyone associated with the Clippers,” it read.
Nicknamed PG13, George joined the Clippers in 2017 after a successful stint with the Oklahoma City Thunder which saw the former Pacers’ player get MVP shouts.
His deal with the LA based side depended on the side’s chances to win a championship. Both Paul George and Kawhi Leonard had been announced on the very same day triggering a series of chain reactions throughout the league.
“We traded a lot to pair Paul and Kawhi [Leonard], and in exchange, we had five seasons of contention. Even though we fell short of our ultimate objective, we appreciate the chances we had with Paul,” the statement further read.(Agency)
