76ers jump to 3rd-best title odds after George signing

The 76ers finally landed their white whale after months of speculation. Paul George agreed to sign with Philadelphia early Monday morning, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Daryl Morey and the Sixers assembled a Big Three in an era where they're virtually extinct. Adding a perennial All-Star to join an already dominant duo of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey led to a huge boost in Philadelphia's title chances.

The Sixers had the eighth-best odds (+1200) to win the championship before the George acquisition and now have the third-best (+800), trailing only the Celtics and Nuggets. They have the second-best odds to win an increasingly stacked Eastern Conference.

Championship formulas typically include a two-way big capable of protecting the rim and stretching the floor offensively. The Sixers have checked that box for years with Embiid, one of the league's best players who acts as an offensive hub and dominant scorer. Maxey is a dynamic scoring point guard who elevated his playmaking last season. The missing piece to the equation has been a reliable scoring wing who can also defend.

Tobias Harris was anything but reliable, and the Sixers' Jimmy Butler experiment only lasted half a season back in 2019. Philly finally obtained the elusive piece.

George is a fluid scorer who's efficient as a pick-and-roll ball-handler and as an off-ball threat. The nine-time All-Star can play a complementary role but has the talent to take over games as the lead scorer. George has seldom been the third option in his career. It'll be an adjustment and require some sacrifice, but a lesser role could prolong the 35-year-old's career.

Adding a 20-plus point-per-game scorer who shoots 41% from three as a tertiary option is rare. George excels off the ball, scoring 1.26 points per spot-up possession last season, ranking toward the top of the league. He also shot 44% from three on catch-and-shoot attempts. The former Clipper is the perfect wing to pair alongside Embiid and Maxey's lethal pick-and-roll game.

After years of failing to land marquee free agents, and in an era where All-NBA-level players rarely switch teams via free agency, the Sixers hit the jackpot through opportune timing and strategic planning.

Morey set his eyes on the 2024 crop of free agents, accumulating expiring contracts in the James Harden deal last year. When George entered free agency and the Clippers refused to offer him a full max contract, there was a small marketplace for the five-time All-NBAer set to earn over $200 million. Few teams had the financial means to land George, and of those teams, the Sixers were the only championship contender.

Los Angeles' bizarre refusal became the Sixers' blessing. The Clippers' title odds lengthened from +2000 to +4000 following the news.

While the Sixers should celebrate their signing, there's obvious cause for skepticism. The Clippers denied George the max for several reasons, including collective bargaining limitations that would have handicapped their future. But age and injury history were certainly toward the top of the list of concerns.

George will be 38 when his contract expires and has dealt with various injuries throughout his career, causing him to miss extended time during his five-year stint with the Clippers. Although, George played at least 70 games for the first time since 2018-19 last season.

He's also become synonymous with playoff no-shows in his 14-year career. Coincidentally, he's joining forces with an organization mocked for playoff misfortunes. George will be tasked with helping Philly get to its first conference finals since 2001.

Still, this is the Sixers' best path to the title since Embiid debuted for Philadelphia in 2016.

There's an obligatory "if healthy" attached to any conversation surrounding an Embiid-led team. The former MVP has a well-documented history of injuries. He's seemingly never healthy in the postseason, hindering his playoff performances. The "if healthy" proverb is only accentuated with the addition of George.

On paper, the Sixers are as equipped as any team for a championship run next spring. If, of course, health and good fortune - two areas that have plagued recent playoff runs - are in their favor.

Sam Oshtry is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X @soshtry for more betting coverage.