NBA GM survey predicts Paul George to be most impactful addition

Paul George entered the summer as the hottest free agent on the market. The veteran forward had spent the past five seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers, making the All-Star team in three of those years.

During his tenure in Los Angeles, George struggled with injuries, which limited him to 48 appearances in his debut season and 31 appearances in 2021-22. Nevertheless, a strong showing in the Clippers' 2023-24 campaign proved he was still a star-level talent and convinced the Philadelphia 76ers to go all-in on acquiring him this summer.

According to ESPN's yearly GM Survey, George is expected to be the most impactful addition of the summer. 60% of those surveyed selected the two-way forward, with Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns coming in joint second after each securing 13% of the votes. 

Adding George to a rotation that boasts Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey will undoubtedly supercharge Nick Nurse's offense. However, it would appear George is already excited at the potential of an elite defense with the Sixers.

“I think just our defense stands out, first impression of what this team looks like,” George said during an Oct. 5 news conference. “Just our defense with myself, Caleb, Kelly, we've been able to really cause chaos on the perimeter ... That's what I've taken away from the first couple of days of camp, just the way we were able to get out and shrink the floor, shut the floor down and really lock up on the perimeter.”

When healthy, George is among the best defensive forwards in the NBA. His positional versatility allows him to guard multiple positions, ensuring he can provide high-level ball pressure when operating as the point-of-attack defender or working as part of a switch defense. 

Philadelphia now have a big three capable of making waves in the Eastern Conference. Of course, they must still find ways to overcome the high-level talent and depth that the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks possess. 

Nothing is guaranteed for the Sixers this season. However, the addition of George has ensured they will be contenders if the roster can stay healthy. Once the playoffs begin, the Sixers will have an opportunity to make a run toward the NBA Finals, and that's where we will see how far the new-look trio can take this franchise in their first year together.