Paul George shows off first look at new 76ers uniform
07/07/2024 01:43 PM
Last week, the Philadelphia 76ers sent shockwaves throughout the NBA landscape when it was revealed that they would be signing former Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George to a four-year maximum contract following the expiration of his contract with Los Angeles. The move gives star 76ers big man Joel Embiid arguably the most versatile costar he’s had during his Philadelphia tenure–with all due respect to Jimmy Butler–and also gives George arguably the best chance he’s had to compete for an NBA championship.
One of the biggest questions that fans had in the immediate aftermath of the signing was which number George would be wearing in his new threads, and on Sunday, the former All-Star answered that question by posting a picture of himself wearing a blue number eight 76ers jersey on a promotion for his podcast, Podcast P with Paul George, presented by Wave Sports + Entertainment (via Podcast P with Paul George on YouTube).
Of course, George has long been known by fans as “PG13” dating back to his days with the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder, which followed his stint with the Pacers wearing the number 24 jersey back in the early 2010s when he was consistently leading them on deep playoff runs.
This move to the 76ers marks the first time George will be suiting up in the Eastern Conference since the 2016-17 season, when his Pacers were swept out of the first round by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. While his stint in Los Angeles produced some big numbers and All-Star appearance, overall, the partnership between himself and Kawhi Leonard has to be considered a failure, primarily due to the fact that the duo made it through only one playoff run together healthy in five tries.
Can the 76ers compete with the Celtics?
Probably not.
The Boston Celtics would still project to be a healthy tier above everyone else in the Eastern Conference at this point, including both the 76ers and the New York Knicks, who made a splashy move in their own right by acquiring Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets.
The Celtics still have by far the best starting five in the league, with five players who are elite defenders and shooters, and can put the ball on the floor to create their own shot or facilitate for their teammate.
While Big Threes haven’t had much success in the NBA lately, there is something to be said about the fact that George, Embiid, and 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey all operate in very different areas both offensively and defensively, meaning there should be optimism that this trio has a higher chance of success than, say, the one in Phoenix.
The biggest question right now for the 76ers is going to be the health of Embiid and George, both of whom have storied injury histories and have been unavailable or severely limited for the postseason more often than not over the past few years. However, if they can stay healthy, Philadelphia has a real shot of being the second best team in the conference.
The post Paul George shows off first look at new 76ers uniform appeared first on ClutchPoints.
