Ultimate factor that eventually led Paul George to the 76ers emerges

While the benefits have been put in a state of suspense thanks to an early injury, the Philadelphia 76ers stand to have their prospects greatly enhanced with Paul George in the fray. The franchise has been trying to find the right formula to contend for a championship for quite some time now, and with the nine-time All-Star on board, they may have found the best one yet.

George’s arrival in Philly could not have come at a better time. Joel Embiid — while similarly sidelined as of the moment — is still playing at the level of a Most Valuable Player. Tyrese Maxey is on the verge of becoming a genuine NBA superstar. The current parity in the NBA has opened up multiplt title windows, and the 76ers are a step beyond most teams in the talent department.

But before George landed with the 76ers, the connection was widely deemed to be one of a pipe dream.

Ultimate factor that eventually led Paul George to the 76ers emerges

Prior to the 76ers managing to land free agency’s biggest fish in Paul George, the ALl-Star forward was widely expected to remain with the Clippers, his hometown team. However, when the early stages of the offseason casted a cloud on that and the team’s president himself expressed that the franchise would not retain him, most teams were put on high alert.

Among those early chasers for George was the Golden State Warriors. The Clippers were open to dealing with them, but their reported disdain at the thought of helping out a fellow rival precluded such move. However, another detail that led him to the 76ers instead has just been revealed.

While hesitant, LA was insistent on having Jonathan Kuminga (among other young players on the Warriors roster) be front and center in a return package for George. However, according to ESPN’s esteemed writer Ohm Youngmisuk, the idea of the young forward moving teams was never seriously entertained by Golden State.

Instead, the Warriors pivoted to signing high-end role players to fill what could have been George’s spot with a collective effort.

And as a by-product, the 76ers were, at that point, really the only team with the financial gymnastics to accommodate signing him to a max deal.

Hopefully, the Philadelphia 76ers would be able to maximize their wide-open championship window. In control of the most talented big three in the NBA, adding Paul George to the mix should not only bolster their title shot, but bring them closer to it than ever before.