Paul George reportedly signing four-year, $212M deal with Philadelphia 76ers

Star forward Paul George, 34, has agreed to a four-year, $212 million maximum contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, as reported by ESPN on Monday morning.

The deal was accepted during a meeting with Philadelphia's front office members. Team owner Josh Harris, general manager Elton Brand, president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, and Sixers Hall of Famer Julius Erving were reportedly present at the meeting in Los Angeles.

The 76ers' group also included team executive Peter Dinwiddie, who previously worked with the Pacers and developed a close relationship with George during his time in Indiana.

George's new contract includes a player option for the 2027-28 season, the final year of the deal. After spending the last five seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers, George decided to sign with another team.

The Clippers released a statement acknowledging his departure and praising his talent and skills. Following negotiations that did not reach an agreement, ESPN reported that the Sixers were the front-runners to sign George.

Philadelphia successfully secured George, forming a strong trio with 2023 MVP Joel Embiid and All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey.

Last season, the 76ers finished with a 47-35 record, securing the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs before being eliminated by the New York Knicks in the first round.

George made his debut in 2023-24 for Los Angeles by participating in 74 games, all of which he started. He maintained an average of 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 steals, with a shooting percentage of 47.1% from the field and 41.3% from three-point range.

Throughout his 14-year NBA career with the Pacers (2010-17), the Oklahoma City Thunder (2017-19), and the Clippers, George has accumulated career averages of 20.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.7 steals in 867 games (819 starts).

On Saturday, George decided to decline his player option with Los Angeles and explore free agency.