The Philadelphia 76ers made the decision to pay veteran star Paul George a max contract this offseason in hopes of winning a championship with Joel Embiid at the helm.
This move isn’t without its flaws, though. Embiid could lose his prime or, worse, demand a trade if George and the other acquisitions fail to push the Sixers over the wall.
Bleacher Report went even further with George’s four-year, $212 million contract, framing it as the deal Philadelphia will regret the most.
“The Sixers signed the best free agent wing to play with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. When healthy, George is a terrific shooter, scorer and defender,” Eric Pincus of B/R wrote:. “But at 34, he showed signs of slowing down in Los Angeles with the Clippers last season (even as an All-Star), and his health record isn’t the best (but not as bad as Leonard’s).
While the Sixers’ roster has improved significantly, their path to the NBA Finals has been anything but easy. The Eastern Conference is at its best in years, led by the reigning champion Boston Celtics. The extent of Philadelphia’s success simply depends on the health of its Big Three when the lights are brightest.
“Philadelphia took a risk with immediate upside potential, but the contract could be a threat if the franchise doesn’t make it far in the playoffs,” Pincus wrote. He rated the potential regret level at 7/10.
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