Philadelphia 76ers plan to pursue Paul George in free agency this summer

Right now, Paul George is one of the biggest stars of the surging Los Angeles Clippers. But if he doesn't remain with the team after this season, there is another team that will leap at the chance to sign him: the Philadelphia 76ers.

According to Chris Haynes, the 76ers plan to "aggressively" pursue George in free agency if he doesn't agree to a new extension with the Clippers. He is currently in the midst of a four-year, $176 million extension with the Clippers that he signed in 2020. He can select a player option for the 2024-25 season.

So far this season, George is putting up 22.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game as he and the team are having one of their best seasons in years.

Meanwhile, the 76ers are starting a chapter of the season that will have them without Joel Embiid. Following surgery, it's not clear how much longer the reigning MVP will be out of the game. The team recently made some moves that created cap space for the 2024 offseason and it seems they would want to use that cap space on acquiring George.

Because the Clippers are doing so well and are currently battling for the top spot in the Western Conference, it's very possible that George will elect to stick with the 76ers in 2024-25 and beyond. Right now it sounds like he is very happy with his team and his position within it.

But if the 76ers can convince him that he has a better chance of winning a championship with Philadelphia, they might be able to win him over and steal him away.

This move could be good for the 76ers for a number of reasons. It could strengthen the roster, of course, but it could also keep Embiid happy because he'd have more support in the form of the nine-time All-Star.