Paul George’s free agency decision could see him leave Los Angeles for Philadelphia. His former Pacers’ teammate Evan Turner doesn’t think that’s a good move, remarking on George’s history of not showing up and fragility in the media spotlight.
“PG has a history of not showing up. I never met a human that would let a media rumor drive his energy or personality. Somebody was like, ‘I hear he’s going to Philly!’ And that n***a was like, ‘You know what? I’m going to Philly, G.’
Turner lambasted the potential partnership and openly questioned how soft they would be as a pairing.
“You know how soft that team gonna be if he and Embiid go together? It’d probably be the most skilled duo ever since Kobe and Shaq. Embiid would be hurt and PG gonna be Paul though.”
Paul George's former teammate, Evan Turner, says George has a "history of not showing up" and believes a duo of Paul George and Joel Embiid would be "soft."
“I never met a human that would let a media rumor drive his energy or personality…You know how soft that team gonna be if… pic.twitter.com/lgcSxxwvZT
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 8, 2024
Turner tends to drag modern stars often, but talking about a former teammate like this is quite surprising. What we can appreciate is that Turner is telling the truth the way he views it and it’s good he didn’t pull his punches while being an unbiased media analyst.
George averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists for the Clippers this season before falling apart in the Playoffs and averaging 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in a six-game series loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the first round.
George is expected to be the most high-profile free agent on the market this summer, so teams with cap space are likely going to take a swing at acquiring him. With Philadelphia only having Joel Embiid and Paul Reed on the roster for next season, they have the money to offer George while retaining Tyrese Maxey.
Would Paul George Work Alongside Joel Embiid?
We have to be realistic about what the 76ers have shown they can achieve. They have had a second-round ceiling the entire time Embiid has been on the roster, which is troubling given he’s the only league MVP in history to have never even made a Conference Finals. Would adding Paul George while losing depth make advancing further a likely possibility? It’s hard to say.
When you look at the third options Embiid has had in recent years, George would be a more complementary upgrade. He can thrive alongside Maxey without reducing his time on-ball, unlike Ben Simmons and James Harden. He would essentially take the roster spot that belongs to Tobias Harris and would be a definite upgrade in production.
The question with George is if he’ll perform in the playoffs. Embiid had a fantastic first-round series while hobbled in the 76ers’ 4-3 loss to the Knicks, so his production might be more reliable despite a concerning past. George is going to turn 34 years old and would require a big-money long-term extension to pry him away from the Clippers.
Depending on how Daryl Morey fills out the roster, this could be a fruitful pairing. Would it make the 76ers title contenders? Probably not, given the depth of the West and the ascending teams in the East, but it likely would give them a better chance at making the Conference Finals compared to the alternatives.
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