In an annual survey of NBA general managers conducted by John Schuhmann of the league’s website, the Philadelphia 76ers’ offseason, particularly the signing of All-Star forward Paul George, received widespread praise.
The 76ers made a major move in free agency by signing George to a max contract, pulling him away from the Los Angeles Clippers. The 34-year-old adds significant scoring and shooting ability alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. According to league GMs, this acquisition is expected to have a huge payoff.
In the anonymous GM survey, George was the top choice for “player acquisition most likely to make the biggest impact,” receiving 60% of the votes. The New York Knicks’ signings of Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns tied for second with 13% each. George’s status as a free-agent signing rather than a trade may have influenced the voting, but his top-ranking by such a wide margin stands out.
The Sixers ranked second in voting for the team with the best offseason moves, garnering 33% of votes, just 4% behind the Oklahoma City Thunder. While George wasn’t the sole reason for the 76ers’ high praise, he clearly had a major influence.
Joel Embiid also featured prominently in the survey. He tied for third in votes for the player most likely to win the MVP award, alongside Nikola Jokic and Jayson Tatum, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic leading that category. Embiid also tied for fourth in the question of which player forces opposing coaches to make the most adjustments, while Doncic topped that list. Additionally, Embiid placed second to Jokic as the best center in the league, with Jokic receiving the vast majority of votes.
Elsewhere in the survey, Caleb Martin received votes for the most underrated offseason addition, with the Oklahoma City Thunder’s trade for Alex Caruso leading that category. Interestingly, Josh Giddey, also involved in that trade, received votes as well.
76ers head coach Nick Nurse tied for fourth in the category of coaches making the best in-game adjustments and also earned recognition for running one of the best offenses. The Sixers were projected to finish neck-and-neck with the Knicks in the Eastern Conference standings, trailing the Boston Celtics, who were the clear favorites.
Philadelphia also ranked in the top five in categories like most improved team and most unpredictable team, with injury concerns for both Embiid and George contributing to the uncertainty. However, if they stay healthy, the Sixers are expected to be one of the top teams in the 2024-25 season.
