Perhaps the biggest domino in free agency this summer has fallen with the news that Paul George is leaving the Los Angeles Clippers to join the Philadelphia 76ers on a reported four-year, $212-million max contract, and that's shaken up the latest betting odds for the 2025 NBA championship.
Paul George has agreed on a four-year, $212 million maximum contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell @wojespn.
— ESPN (@espn) July 1, 2024
George committed in a meeting with Sixers officials and returns East to join Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey in pursuit of an NBA title. pic.twitter.com/ioMAv4baHg
Philadelphia has made several key moves to improve its chances of winning the franchise's first championship since 1983, but none greater than luring George away from Los Angeles. As a result of their latest acquisitions and re-signings, the Sixers currently find themselves with the third-best odds to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy next year, while the Clippers' own odds have taken quite the hit.
(Related Link) NBA Championship Odds 2025: Boston Celtics Favored To Repeat
Updated 2024-25 NBA Championship Odds
| Team | Odds Prior To Free Agency (June 28) | Odds After Start Of Free Agency (July 1) |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia 76ers | +1500 | +850 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | +3500 | +5000 |
George's new contract features a player option for the 2027-28 season, and he'll earn 35 percent of the salary cap with annual raises of five percent each year.
The 34-year-old forward averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 steals across 74 appearances in what was his fifth and ultimately final season in a Clippers uniform. He's also one of six players to have made nine All-Star teams since he entered the league, and George has also been a member of the All-NBA Third Team on five occasions and the All-NBA First Team once.
With the Boston Celtics serving as the reigning champions on the back of a dominant regular season and playoff run, and the New York Knicks recently acquiring Mikal Bridges and re-signing O.G. Anunoby, Philadelphia needed to use its abundance of cap space to make a noteworthy splash to keep pace with those aforementioned squads. George provides another star talent to pair alongside 2023 Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid and All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey, who just agreed on a reported five-year, $204-million max extension to stay in the City of Brotherly Love.
The Sixers haven't advanced beyond the second round since "The Process" era began, and with Embiid's health constantly in flux, George gives Philadelphia insurance as an elite two-way player and one of the stronger catch-and-shoot 3-point shooters going today. He'll be 37 years of age once his deal winds down, mind you, and that's a lot of money to be throwing at someone at that stage of their career.
Still, as the No. 2 option on Philly and occasionally even the No. 3 behind Maxey, George is in an ideal situation with an organization that values him after the Clippers didn't appear willing to offer the same compensation.
Along with keeping Maxey and reportedly Kelly Oubre Jr. on board, paired with the reported acquisitions of veteran sharpshooter Eric Gordon and center Andre Drummond, the 76ers are making a statement that they're ready to catapult themselves into legit title contention after consistently coming up short in years past. Injuries will once again provide cause for concern, but if this roster stays healthy, the Celtics will need to look over their shoulder in the Eastern Conference and beyond.
