LAS VEGAS — Joel Embiid was addressing his upcoming television appearance during the NBA Finals, casting a sidelong glance at Paul George next to him at the ESPN desk and saying he hopes the 76ers can improve their team this summer.
Embiid, naturally, believes the Sevens accomplished that goal by acquiring George, a perennial All-Star forward, on the first day of free agency. And now Embiid is hoping George’s offensive prowess means the 2023 NBA Most Valuable Player won’t have to be the league’s most statistically dominant player.
“My focus is [my teammates] “I want to do the best I can,” Embiid told a small group of reporters after the U.S. team’s first practice leading up to the 2024 Olympics. “I want to make the game easier for them so I don’t have to do as much as I have the past few years.”
“I was excited. [getting George]Obviously, that’s a great job [the front office] “It was, but we still have to go out on the court and try to win.”
George seems like a perfect fit alongside Embiid, an imposing, skilled big man, and Tyrese Maxey, an explosive guard with a great shooting range who was named to his first All-Star game last season. George has the size and versatility to be an outstanding wing on both ends of the court, averaging 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting a career-best 41.3 percent from 3-point range last season with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Meanwhile, Embiid led the NBA in scoring for two consecutive years from 2021-2023 and averaged a career-high 34.7 points during the 2023-2024 regular season, which was interrupted by a two-month recovery from knee surgery. Embiid has also improved as a playmaker in recent years, averaging 5.6 assists last season in coach Nick Nurse’s system that emphasizes ball movement.
But Embiid struggled to stay fully healthy during the playoffs last season while recovering from a torn meniscus and battling a mild form of Bell’s Palsy. The 76ers fell from third to seventh in the regular season during Embiid’s absence before losing to the New York Knicks in six games in the first round of the playoffs.
Embiid also noted that George isn’t the Sixers’ only offseason addition so far. The deal with forward Caleb Martin was officially announced Saturday. The team also agreed to terms with the return of backup center Andre Drummond and a contract with veteran shooter Eric Gordon. Athletic wing Kelly Oubre Jr. is also returning on a two-year deal, and Maxey agreed in principle to a five-year max contract extension.
” read more: The addition of playoff dynamo Caleb Martin has transformed the Sixers from a Big 3 to a Legit 5.
But Embiid warned that the extensive roster turnover could mean it will take time for the Sixers, who have already lost Tobias Harris, Nico Batum, De’Anthony Melton, Buddy Hield, Paul Reed and Mo Bamba this cycle, to find the on-court chemistry they need to challenge the defending champion Boston Celtics and Knicks for the top of the Eastern Conference.
“Obviously, everyone is always [of] “The goal is to win championships,” Embiid said, “but we have to understand it’s going to take time to get everybody on the same page.”
“It doesn’t take long, [have it] It wasn’t like that at first, but it’s unusual.”
