NBA Scout Questions Paul George’s 76ers Contract: ‘Tough’ When He’ll Be 38 in Year 4

Doric SamJuly 1, 2024

Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

The Philadelphia 76ers landed one of the best free agents on the market, as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported early on Monday morning that they agreed to a four-year, $212 million max deal with former Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George.

The move was seen as a major addition for the Sixers, as pairing George with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey creates one of the most formidable trios in the NBA.

“You get a guy in there that’s a position of need on the wing, a guy who can close out games, who opens the floor for Joel in that elbow area and for Tyrese on drives,” an Eastern Conference scout told The Athletic’s Sam Amick of the signing. “But the one thing I saw with Tyrese when Embiid was out was that he’s not good enough to carry a team. So if Embiid’s not playing or injured or anything like that, you have another guy who can hold the fort down with Tyrese.”

Bleacher Report @BleacherReportBREAKING: Paul George has agreed on a four-year, $212M deal with the Sixers, per @wojespn

PG, Embiid & Maxey teaming up in Philly 🔥 pic.twitter.com/53TFK8efcM

However, the deal was not free from criticism, as the scout added that there are concerns over George’s age at this stage in his career.

“But man, that’s a lot of money to give a guy that’s going to be 38 (when the deal ends),” the scout said. “I don’t know. That’s the tough thing.”

George enjoyed a fairly healthy season this past year, as his 74 appearances were his most since the 2018-19 campaign. He appeared in under 60 games in each of the previous four seasons, which likely played into the Clippers’ hesitance to commit to him with a max contract.

If George is able to stay healthy, the Sixers will be among the top contenders in the Eastern Conference next season and beyond.