Breaking News: Paul George ‘all-in’ with 76ers along with…..
CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers held a pair of news conferences here at their practice facility Tuesday: one at 11 a.m. to celebrate Tyrese Maxey signing a new five-year max contract and another at 1 p.m. heralding Paul George’s four-year max contract commitment.
It was fitting that the pressers were held in that order — Maxey first, followed by George — because all of the excitement around the 76ers’ offseason was possible only because of the sacrifice Maxey made last summer: agreeing to be patient and to allow 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey to use Maxey’s small salary cap hold this summer to chase a star in free agency.
Ultimately, Morey made it clear throughout Tuesday’s celebrations that Maxey’s patience needed to be recognized and rewarded — and Maxey himself was quite happy with how it all played out.
“I think it worked out well,” Maxey said with a smile. “I mean, honestly … [it was] hard. It’s a very hard thing to do, especially when you work extremely hard.
“But when they brought it to me, I understood. … You don’t have that many opportunities as a franchise to do something like that.
“I’m just happy, man. I’m happy that we were able to do what we did this offseason and give us a chance to do something.”
That the 76ers are now considered true championship contenders, however, is because of the arrival of George, who — despite turning 34 in May — remains one of the NBA’s elite two-way wing players. George made his ninth All-Star team this past season for the LA Clippers with career bests in every shooting category: 47.1% overall, 41.3% from 3-point range and 90.7% from the free throw line.
But after the Clippers didn’t offer George a full max contract this summer, it paved the way for Philadelphia to do so.
“Amazing time [in L.A.],” George said. “No regret … they went out and gave me an opportunity to play home, which, at that point in time was a ton of value for myself to be able to play in front of my family, my friends, and have a legitimate shot to chase a championship every season. Obviously, injuries kind of deterred us a little bit. But just to speak on that situation as a whole, there’s no ill will … again, forever grateful for the opportunity that they gave me to come back.
“We had a great mutual talk as it all played out, and I felt it was great closure on the situation. I’m happy for them, they’re happy for me, and I’m a Sixer now. So that’s behind me.”
What’s in front of him, and the Sixers, is a trio that compares favorably with any in the NBA today. The combination of Maxey — a breakout star, and the league’s reigning Most Improved Player — as its lead guard, George on the wing, and former MVP Joel Embiid — one of the best centers in the NBA, alongside Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic — gives Philadelphia a perfectly balanced trio of stars to build around.
