NBA Insider Offers Major Update in Sixers’ Paul George Pursuit

The Philadelphia 76ers might be out on Paul George.

Apr 5, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George (13) is defended by Utah Jazz guard Kris Dunn (11) in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

While the Los Angeles Clippers could make a handshake agreement with Paul George as early as this week to secure the All-Star’s return to the organization, all signs are pointing towards George entering the free agency market and fielding offers from interested teams.

The Philadelphia 76ers started the offseason as the favorites to land George in the event he doesn’t land a desirable long-term deal from his current organization.

That remained the case for weeks — until now.

On Thursday, The Athletic’s Shams Charania offered a major update on the Sixers’ pursuit of Paul George, signaling that Philly might have its sights set elsewhere at this point.

“The [Sixers’] interest in pursuing Paul George has significantly waned in recent days,” Charania wrote on X. “The franchise is expected to be aggressive elsewhere with its salary cap flexibility and draft capital leading into next week’s NBA Draft.”

From a pure talent and fit perspective, George is likely at the top of the list for the Sixers, but he surely wouldn’t come cheap. For the Sixers, the pros would have to significantly outweigh the cons in order to justify making a max contract offer to the 34-year-old wing, who has had injury concerns and playoff struggles throughout his 14-year career.

The Sixers weren’t in a market of their own for George. Not only are the Clippers totally sold on keeping George paired with Kawhi Leonard out in LA, but the Orlando Magic are also expected to be waiting at the front of the line with a max contract to offer.

While the recent update doesn’t necessarily guarantee the Sixers will bow out of the George sweepstakes altogether, it definitely suggests the Sixers have their sights set elsewhere at the moment.

There are plenty of free agents and trade targets for Philly to think about. LA’s LeBron James could hit the market if he fails to agree to an extension with the Lakers. It appears OG Anunoby’s discussions with the New York Knicks haven’t gone as planned so far, which could lead the former Toronto Raptor in the same boat as James.

And if the free agency market is shaping up to be a dud, the Sixers could always work the phones. New Orleans’ Brandon Ingram, Chicago’s Zach LaVine, and Miami’s Jimmy Butler all seem likely to become available in the coming weeks. With the Sixers reportedly planning to get aggressive, there are many paths they can take to land their third star to put next to Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.