Joel Embiid opens up on Sixers' blockbuster Paul George addition: "I'd be lying to say that patience wasn't tested"
Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers got a massive boost for the 2024-25 NBA season. The team signed Paul George this offseason, substantially increasing the Sixers’ odds of winning a championship next season.
The 76ers and Embiid have been waiting for a move of this caliber. In 2018, Embiid asked LeBron James to come to Philadelphia. But that didn't end up happening. Jimmy Butler played just one season before being traded to the Miami Heat.
Now, with Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and George, Philadelphia is in a great position to match up with the best teams in the Eastern Conference.
While speaking about the 76ers signing George on ESPN, Embiid said that when he didn’t have a superstar-caliber player on his side, he was losing his patience.
"I'd be lying to say that patience wasn't tested," Embiid said. "Because I'm at the point where there's no awards, there's no regular season or no All-NBA or All-Stars is going to change the way my legacy is. Well, there's a few things that can change it, but the main one is the championship.”
Showering praise on George and Maxey, the 2023 MVP said that the Sixers have a big three.
"Yeah, I think as far as the fit, it looks amazing," Embiid said. ... "I don't like to call myself a big, but when you got a player that posts up and that isos quite a bit, you need to have willing shooters and guys that are not afraid to pull the trigger. PG, great shooter, 40%, 45 catch and shoot; Tyrese, we know great shooter, off the dribble, catch-and-shoot."
Joel Embiid added that after his retirement, he wanted to be remembered as a winner who gave the city a championship to celebrate.
However, amidst all the noise that surrounds the 76ers, Embiid is still not rushing things with Paul George on the team. He added that the team looks great on paper but must work hard to become a title contender.
Joel Embiid thinks the addition of Paul George can keep him healthy in the season
Last season, Joel Embiid’s injuries made the biggest headline in the NBA. If Embiid had not been injured, he would have led the 76ers better in the playoffs.
One of the reasons for Embiid's injuries is how much he exerts his body on both ends of the floor. This season, the 76ers have made trades just to maximize their superstar’s talent.
Embiid thinks that Paul George's addition will take some pressure off him and keep him healthy.
“It makes me excited, because I think that actually might keep me healthy," Embiid said (via ESPN). "I don't have to exert myself and make sure I have to have 30, 40 every single night for us to win, and I can let them do their thing.”
The 76ers also added Andre Drummond, who will take most of Joel Embiid's rebounding responsibility. Moreover, the team has reportedly signed Eric Gordon, who can open the floor for Embiid.