Last season, George competed for the Los Angeles Clippers and had a solid season. The experienced forward averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists to cement himself as one of the league's best forwards for another season.
His defensive contributions are also impressive with 1.5 steals per game, proving he is not afraid to make bold moves to catch the opposition off guard. This is also due to his reach and height standing at six-foot-eight.
The previous season saw a career-high in his three-point percentage with an incredible 41.3 throughout the year. George also had a career-high field goal percentage of 47.1, making him a constant threat on the court.
Looking deeper into his abilities, the nine-time NBA All-Star is brilliant at driving forward towards the basket. He does this by utilising his large shoulders, bumping away the defender to keep momentum and make space in front.
This method has become more prevalent in the 34-year-old's attacking arsenal since a deterioration in explosiveness and speed which means his slashing ability has worsened. This has most likely come from a combination of his age and ongoing knee problems which has had him sidelined multiple times.
Despite this, George still possesses the smoothness and fluidity which is synonymous with his style of play and name. He does this by using a variation of perfectly executed movements to create space when tightly guarded and under pressure.
He also lunges to generate openings beyond the arc, giving him an extra second to capitalise and can stop quickly which usually results in the same outcome. Often using his shoulders to fake movements, PG-13 is good at adjusting his body to trick the opposition and catch defenders off-guard.
All these attributes paired with his composure and experience will make him a great attacking threat for the Clippers. This should pair brilliantly with Embiid to push for the number one seed in the Eastern Conference next season.
How will this impact the 76ers?
When looking at George’s potential impact on the team, it is important to assess how the Philadelphia 76ers performed in the previous season.
Nick Nurse’s side scraped their way into the playoffs after taking one of the four play-in spots and defeating the Miami Heat in a tight victory. Late in the conference, it looked like reaching the postseason was going to be a difficult task with Embiid out with a knee injury.
However, after his return the 76ers went on an unbelievable winning run, eventually making it to round one of the tournament. Philadelphia lost to the New York Knicks in six games to end their run and begin focus on preseason.
It was clear that there was one last piece missing in the team who could be a scoring threat alongside Embiid and Tyrese Maxey who are heavily guarded due to their impact on the court.
The introduction of another big name will mean that Embiid and Maxey can have more space on the ball as defenders. This is because the opposition will have another player to worry about when the 76ers are attacking.
The next two years may be the best chance the team has of reaching the NBA Finals due to George getting older and past his prime. With a potential line-up of Embiid, Maxey, George, Kelly Oubre and multiple other solid options including Jared McCain who is an exciting young prospect, this team could be a potential early favourite to have a successful season.
The main concern for fans is that injury-prone players could leave a small roster for Nurse to work with. However, if the key players can stay fit, we could witness a highly competitive end to the season.
