Photo: Paul George Wore Allen Iverson Shirt to 76ers Meeting in 2024 NBA Free Agency
Tyler Conway@@jtylerconway
Featured Columnist IVJuly 1, 2024
Paul George didn't leave much to the imagination during his meeting with the Philadelphia 76ers.
The new Sixers swingman wore an Allen Iverson shirt to his meeting with team brass Sunday night.
George agreed to a four-year, $212 million contract with the Sixers on Sunday, teaming up with All-Stars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
While the Sixers' promise of championship contention was enticing, George's decision came down to money. The Clippers refused for months to include a fourth season on any George contract, which shockingly allowed him to hit unrestricted free agency. When Kawhi Leonard inked a three-year, $149.7 million extension in January, it was seen as a foregone conclusion that George would soon follow suit.
Instead, George pushed for the fourth year in talks and the two sides never appeared to get close to a deal. George informed the Clippers he would be signing elsewhere before even taking the Sixers meeting.
"Paul is a tremendous talent and an elite two-way player. We feel fortunate for the five years we spent with him," the Clippers said in a statement. "Over that span, he went to three All-Star Games, made the most 3-pointers in franchise history and helped lead the team to a place it had never been. His performances in Games 5 and 6 against Utah in 2021 won't be forgotten by anyone associated with the Clippers.
"We traded a lot to pair Paul and Kawhi [Leonard], and in exchange, we had five seasons of contention. Even though we fell short of our ultimate objective, we appreciate the chances we had with Paul."
George's choice in apparel made it obvious he planned to sign with the Sixers all along. Iverson is arguably the most iconic player in Sixers franchise history, someone who was both a superstar on the court and tapped into the city's ethos off of it.
While George won't be able to replicate Iverson's iconic stature at this late stage in his NBA career, he could pull off something Iverson never did and bring a ring to Philly.
