Paul George (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia 76ers are reportedly planning to go after a perennial All-Star and future Hall of Famer Paul George in free agency to team up with Joel Embiid.

No team has been a greater postseason disappointment since 2018 than the Philadelphia 76ers. Although they’ve made the playoffs in seven straight years, the club has failed to reach the Eastern Conference Finals during that period.

With a mountain of cap space this offseason, the 76ers are in a good position to add another superstar to complement Embiid. This year’s free agent class is set to be one of the most loaded in recent memory, giving Philly GM Elton Brand a grade-A chance to build a championship team:

According to a report from Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, the 76ers’ main priority is to land Los Angeles Clippers two-way superstar Paul George in free agency:

“They’re looking for another star, but they also need players who can fill various roles. PG-13 is both, which is why sources familiar with Philly’s strategy say he is the team’s plan A in free agency…

Sure, there’s a possibility that George could go into decline by the end of his next contract. But the Sixers can’t afford to worry about that possible downside. The time to win is now, before Embiid ages further into his 30s and potentially faces the same decline that many players of his height and weight have historically experienced.”

The Philadelphia 76ers have paired Embiid with multiple superstars but to no avail. Ben Simmons and James Harden wanted out of Philly relatively quickly, and Jimmy Butler stayed for just one year before joining the Miami Heat in 2019.

Embiid is a top-five player in the world, but he’s lacking a truly elite sidekick to help the 76ers get over the hump. Is this the year they finally land the ideal No. 2 player to help Philadelphia go on a deep postseason run? We’ll find out in a matter of weeks.

Paul George Would Change Everything For Philadelphia 76ers

As good as Simmons, Harden and Butler were in Philadelphia, neither of them fit that well with Embiid. But a two-way star like George would be the ideal complement to Embiid, giving Philly a game-changing defender and reliable scorer to take the pressure off the franchise star.

George did wonders as the No. 2 guy behind Russell Westbrook in Oklahoma City, and he’s been the perfect sidekick to Kawhi Leonard’s Los Angeles Clippers. So if there’s one free agent signing that could get Philly over the top, it’s unquestionably the nine-time All-Star.