The Philadelphia 76ers managed to pull off the biggest move of the summer by signing star Paul George, but management nearly blew their chance.
The Golden State Warriors were rumored to be George’s other top suitors via a sign-and-trade deal, but complications with a deal made Philadelphia the more realistic destination. The nine-time All-Star revealed his thoughts on playing alongside Stephen Curry on the Warriors on his latest podcast episode.
“It was a real thing that was close to being done, based on what they told me about the situation. They were expressing how much they wanted me to be there,” George said. “They didn’t know how or what package was going to be available to negotiate for me, so it was very intriguing, and yet it was an opportunity to stay close to home, stay on the West Coast, and it was a win-win situation. In the end, the deal fell through and it just didn’t happen. It would have been great.”
George also shared that he views Curry and Joel Embiid as “unicorns,” or unique players, which made the decision on his preferred destination even more difficult.
The Warriors aren’t satisfied with the four championships of the Curry era, so adding an additional star could catapult them back into title contender status. However, with free agency coming to a close, it appears that a trade for Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen is one of the last remaining options. Meanwhile, the Sixers found their dream acquisition in George, to pair with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey in hopes of bringing home Philadelphia’s first title in more than 40 years.
