Report: Sixers’ interest in pursuing George has ‘decreased significantly’ originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Like NBA offseason action and rumors escalate, the Sixers’ “interest in pursuing Paul George has waned significantly in recent days,” Athletic’s Shams Charania reported.
The Sixers are “expected to be aggressive elsewhere with (their) salary cap flexibility and draft capital ahead of next week’s NBA Draft,” Charania tweeted Thursday night.
NBA teams were officially allowed to begin negotiating with their own free agents the day after the Celtics’ championship-clinching victory. The draft is set for next Wednesday and next Thursday, and Negotiations with all free agents will open on June 30 at 6 pm ET.
The Sixers have been widely linked to Georg.e since shortly after their first-round playoff loss to the Knicks. Joel Embiid is the only player on the team Currently under guaranteed contract for the 2024-25 season. The Sixers are the rare playoff-caliber team capable of landing another big-money, top-tier talent, and president of basketball operations Daryl Morey historically hasn’t been shy about chasing stars.
For now they have a The All-Star guard in Tyrese Maxey and a world-class center at Embiid.
“I would say the biggest need is not at his position: someone on the wing who can play and perform at a high level in the playoffs,” Morey said in his End of season press conference.
George made his ninth All-Star Game last season and averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals. The 34-year-old has until June 29 to exercise his $48.8 million player option for next season. He and the Clippers still haven’t been on the same page about a possible extension of the contract.
Brandon Ingram and OG Anunoby are two other extension-eligible players in the ever-changing rumor mill. Athletic’s Kelly Iko reported Thursday that the Pelicans “reached out to the Philadelphia 76ers regarding a potential Ingram trade.” ESPN’s Brian WindhorsHe said Tuesday that “most people believe Anunoby will stay in New York, but there have been indications that he may want to test the market because he’s not excited about what the Knicks” have offered him.
In terms of role players, Nicolas Batum, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Kyle Lowry are among the The Sixers’ notable internal free agents. We will have a sharper sense of external market after the draft and post-option deadlines.
As things stand, the Sixers have the 16th and 41st picks in the draft and it remains to be seen exactly how Morey will handle this intriguing offseason.