Sixers Star Ranked Among League's Top Forwards

Was the Sixers star ranked properly heading into the 2024-25 season?

Mar 2, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Paul George (13) drives to the basket defended by Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) during the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports / Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

After finding themselves with another All-Star guard who wanted a change of scenery, the Philadelphia 76ers spent nearly a year building a new long-term plan. Daryl Morey ended up shipping James Harden to the LA Clippers in a team that set them up nicely for the future.

Thanks to a series of moves made last season, the Sixers find themselves with an abundance of cap space heading into free agency. Morey would end up taking full advantage of this, completely revamping the roster around Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

The biggest move the Sixers made was signing Paul George to a four-year max contract. With a new All-Star-level player entering the fold, Philly now had a big three capable of leading them deep into the postseason.

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Although he is getting ready to enter his 15th year in the league, George is still one of the top players at his position. Earlier this week, the people at HoopsHype put together a list of the top 30 small forwards heading into the 2024-25 season. George ended up coming in at No. 5, one spot below his former Clippers teammate Kawhi Leonard. Also ahead of him were LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Jayson Tatum.

Regardless, we’re going to bank on his past production and his most recent season to say he’ll remain a Top 5 small forward in basketball in 2024-25 thanks to his tough bucket-getting and impactful defense. And if that is the case, the 76ers could make major noise in the Eastern Conference, as the one thing that the team has lacked since the departure of the next player on this list is a star bucket-getting swingman alongside Embiid.

George is coming off arguably his healthiest season in recent years, appearing in 74 games. Along with receiving All-Star honors, he averaged 22.6 PPG, 5.2 RPG, and 3.5 APG. George also had the best three-point shooting season of his career, knocking down 41.3% of his attempts on high volume (7.9 attempts per game).