NBA Free Agency Rumors: Sixers Emerge As Possible Destination For Paul George This Summer, Reports ‘Metro USA’

Paul George has been one of the most mentioned superstars in this year’s rumor mill and continues to be so as the 2017-2018 regular season reaches its home stretch. With a player option at the end of the season, he can choose to become an unrestricted free agent, receive offers from interested teams, and select where he wants to play next to continue his career.

Some analysts believe that a huge factor in George’s upcoming decision will depend on where his current team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, ends up this season. The squad is currently seventh in the West with a 37-28 record, only one-and-a-half games ahead of ninth-seed Los Angeles Clippers, which means that a playoff spot is not yet locked with 17 games left in their regular season campaign.

Despite having their own Big Three of George with fellow All-Stars Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony, OKC’s performance has been so far underwhelming as the team was expected to challenge the mighty Golden State Warriors instead of scrambling to have a place in the playoffs.

To his credit, the five-time NBA All-Star has consistently produced at a high level throughout the season. George is averaging 22.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and (an NBA second-best) 2.1 steals in 36.6 minutes per game despite not being the Thunder’s number one option.

The 27-year-old Palmdale, California native has long been linked with a move to his hometown squad, the Los Angeles Lakers, this summer. However, latest rumors are out that a new team has emerged as one of his potential landing spots.

According to Metro USA’s Joe Pantorno, the Philadelphia 76ers might take a shot at George in the upcoming free agency period if they fail to lure Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James to their fold.

Speculations of a possible LeBron-to-Sixers summer scenario have dominated the headlines in the last two weeks, but there are mixed opinions from basketball pundits whether James would actually be a good fit with Ben Simmons in the young squad as both players have similar playing styles.

In a recent episode of ESPN’s The Jump, former NBA star Tracy McGrady predicted that LeBron will not join the Sixers because the team already has an elite, ball-dominant playmaker in Simmons. McGrady said that James and Simmons’ games simply do not complement each other as one would “take away” something from the other when they play together on the basketball court.

However, in the same episode, ESPN insider Ramona Shelburne noted that George would be a better fit than James to play with Simmons. Shelburne said that George is “exactly what the Sixers need.” McGrady agreed and said the former Most Improved Player would fit “perfectly” in Philly.

“If Paul George wants to go to a contender in the Eastern Conference that has a role he would fit perfectly into, then that is the Philadelphia 76ers.”

The Sixers are having one of their best seasons in a long while with the emergence of Simmons and Joel Embiid. They are currently sixth in the East and would face the lackluster Cavs in the first round if the playoffs would start right now.