Sixers land Paul George in flurry of free agent moves

The Sixers lured free agent Paul George from the bright lights of L.A. to the Wells Fargo Center.

Why it matters: The Sixers now have their own version of a Big 3 that fans hope gives them the best chance of winning their first NBA championship since 1983.

Driving the news: After taking Duke's Jared McCain in the first round of the NBA Draft, the Sixers made a flurry of moves in free agency, striking deals to lock up All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey (five-year, $204 million) and bringing back Kelly Oubre Jr. on a two-year, $16.3 million deal, per the Inquirer.

• The Sixers are also expected to sign veteran guard Eric Gordon (1-year, $3.3 million) and Andre Drummond, who last played with them in 2021-22 as Joel Embiid's backup.

Yes, but: Philadelphia is losing Tobias Harris to Detroit, and Nic Batum swapped allegiances agreeing to join the Clippers, per ESPN.

Zoom in: George, an elite and versatile scorer whose shown flashes of brilliance, averaged more than 22 points with the Los Angeles Clippers last season.

• But he's been plagued by injuries throughout his career, and has played at least 60 games only once — this past season — since signing with the Clippers in 2019.

What they're saying: Inquirer beat reporter Keith Pompey said Monday that George is the "perfect fit" for a team that needed a third star following James Harden's exit last year.

• Teams can no longer focus solely on guarding Maxey if Embiid is injured since George is a prodigious scorer in his own right.

What we're watching: George has played in smaller markets and wasn't the star attraction in Hollywood, which belongs to the Lakers. So Pompey wants to see how he reacts the first time the Philly crowd boos him when he's struggling.

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