The Philadelphia 76ers had been eagerly waiting for this year’s free agency period to add a third star to their roster alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Their target was LA Clippers star Paul George, who had always been their number one option. However, weather-related travel delays caused Sixers owner Josh Harris and franchise legend Julius Erving to be late for the most critical free agent meeting of 2024.
Despite the delay, George decided to wait for them, showing his interest in joining the Sixers. The team had carefully preserved their salary cap space to make a big move in free agency, passing on short-term trades to focus on their long-term goal of building a championship roster around Embiid. With the window to win with Embiid slowly closing, the Sixers knew they needed to make the right move to contend for championships and avoid organizational drama.
The meeting between George and the Sixers’ brass finally took place at George’s house in Los Angeles, where he greeted them wearing an Allen Iverson T-shirt. The Sixers had initially shown interest in George a year ago when negotiations with James Harden fell through. The Clippers, on the other hand, were facing their own challenges with George and Leonard’s contracts and the looming prospect of exceeding the league’s luxury tax apron.
As the Sixers and Clippers worked to secure a deal for George, the Golden State Warriors emerged as a potential threat, offering multiple trade packages to acquire George. Talks between the teams escalated, but the Clippers remained firm on their financial restrictions to avoid going over the luxury tax apron. The new collective bargaining agreement had significantly impacted the financial decisions of teams like the Clippers and Warriors, forcing them to make tough choices to stay under the luxury tax threshold.
In the end, the Clippers and Sixers were unable to reach a deal for George, leaving the star forward to explore other options. With the Warriors also unable to secure a trade for George, the future of one of the NBA’s top talents remained uncertain. As George considers his next move, the Sixers continue their quest to build a championship-caliber team around Embiid, hoping that George could be the missing piece to their title aspirations.
The meeting between George and the Sixers symbolized a new chapter for both parties, with the Sixers expressing their belief in George’s abilities and what he could bring to the team. As they reflected on past failed experiments with co-stars, both the Sixers and George understood the significance of this potential partnership in their pursuit of an NBA championship.