Tyrese Maxey Reveals Conversation With Joel Embiid About Paul George

Tyrese Maxey had a conversation about Paul George joining the Philadelphia 76ers.

Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) and center Joel Embiid (21) shake hands after defeating the Boston Celtics in game five of the 2023 NBA playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: / Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

When Paul George left the LA Clippers for the Philadelphia 76ers, no one quite knew it was going to happen until the final days. There were conversations between Paul George and Embiid, but the expectation was that he would re-sign with the Clippers - until he didn't.

Throughout the process, Joel Embiid monitored who all the free agents were during the 2024 offseason and zoned in on Paul George. He had a conversation with Tyrese Maxey about the idea, and Maxey was all on board. During an episode of Podcast P by Wave Sports, Maxey revealed that conversation with Embiid about George.

“I got a call from big fella [Joel Embiid] he went down a free agent list and he is like, ‘that's what he want to do.’ I'm like listen man, I'm going to ride with you to the wheels fall off and I think it's a great idea…The fit is crazy if you think about it," Maxey said. "We got, if not the best player in the world, the best big man in the world, in big fella, Joel, and then myself a guard and then a wing. You can’t ask for nothing better than that."

In Maxey's eyes, the pairing of Joel Embiid, himself, and Paul George is perfect timing. Joel Embiid just came off an MVP season, Maxey just became an All-Star, and Paul George is in the final stages of being an All-Star. Everyone understands the mission.

"In the place where we at and then the city where we at, it just it all, it seemed like the time of our careers, all the right timing," Maxey said. "So just like I'm happy man, I'm happy and I'm ready to see what it's going to look like. Of course you got to go out there and put the work in and still got to click, do the chemistry and all those different things and fill out the rest of the roster. But when you look at it, it looks great!”

The biggest issue with Paul George's career has never been about the fit or the talent of his teams. It's always been about the mentality. That's what caused the Clippers to lose in 2020, that's what caused him to miss two free throws in the 2021 playoffs, and caused him to have a horrible playoffs in 2024.