The Philadelphia 76ers did not start Paul George in the second half of Sunday’s loss to the Miami Heat, and fans know the truth is that it gave the franchise a better chance to win. PG is on a max contract, but he's far from lived up to that deal since arriving in Philly. The 35-year-old has declined quickly. Nick Nurse claimed George was part of the second unit to match up against the Heat, but fans know it is because of his struggles.
The nine-time All-Star has $110.7 million remaining on his contract after this season. He is almost guaranteed to opt into his player option for the 2027-28 season. The Sixers would love to trade him, but no franchise will be eager to take on a rapidly declining George.
Tyrese Maxey has taken a stunning leap, and the 76ers' plans should revolve around him. If that means benching George or playing him in a lesser role, the franchise should do it. George just came back from a knee injury and is on a minute limit, but the writing has been on the wall since he arrived in Philly.
76ers fans know Paul George has declined further
George is averaging 13.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.0 block in 22.0 minutes per game so far. Those numbers sound strong, but PG is shooting just 38.7 percent from the field and 31.3 percent on his 3-point attempts. It makes him well below league average in win shares per 48 minutes and sitting with 0.1 value over replacement player after three games.
The Sixers thought they were getting a superstar. The future Hall of Famer averaged over 21 points per game for nine straight years before joining the 76ers. He was one of the best wings of his generation, but the 35-year-old has clearly taken a step backward.
The Sixers have a negative-2.2 net rating with George on the floor this season, and they are 3.6 points per 100 possessions better when he isn’t in the game. It is why Nurse moved him to the bench to start the second half on Sunday night.
Fans can say it is only a three-game sample. PG will be better as he rounds into form, but 76ers fans saw him produce a 0.036 win shares per 48 minutes last season. He ranked 441st in that category among the 569 players who appeared in an NBA game. Not exactly what Philadelphia hoped for when they gave him a max contract.
The 6’8 wing isn’t suddenly going to revert into a superstar. The 35-year-old is more likely to decline further. This was a regrettable signing for the Sixers, but they hope George can become a solid rotation piece that helps them get to the playoffs.
Tyrese Maxey has taken over as the superstar. The 76ers just need some production from George and Joel Embiid to be a threat in the East. Sadly, the former star duo has a lengthy injury history and can’t be trusted.
Philadelphia 76ers fans know Paul George is not helping the team win at this stage. It has been a rough start, but give him some grace. The nine-time All-Star missed all of training camp and the first 12 games of the regular season. The Sixers had a negative net rating when PG played last season, but were better with him. Hopefully, they can get there again, but fans shouldn’t hold their breath.