The Philadelphia 76ers brought in Paul George on a 4-year $212 million deal to form one of the better trios in the league. He will join Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey to form an elite Big 3 and try to guide the Sixers to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2001.

Even at 34 years old with slightly diminished athleticism, George has all of the requisite ability to be a high-caliber defender in the NBA when it is required. But as he has aged, he has been forced to embrace the aforementioned mentality: guard less challenging opponents and conserve energy for the offensive end of the floor.

Schematically, I don’t think much changes. In his first season here, Nick Nurse did an excellent job making the team’s offense more unpredictable and basically allowing Joel Embiid to run things at the elbows. There was more of an emphasis on player and ball movement that hadn’t been there under Doc Rivers.

In this continuing series, Sixers Wire looks at the 17 players, per Sportrac, that comprise the Philadelphia 76ers roster — 14 under standard contracts and the three players on two-way deals — and gives each three goals for the 2024-25 season.

Former Los Angeles Clippers star forward Paul George was at the forefront of NBA free agency this past summer. George was arguably the top free agent in the market, and while many thought he was going to stay in Los Angeles, he jumped ship for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Ideally, a lineup has its superstar, a deferential co-star, a third star who owns his role, a fourth option and a fifth starter to tie it all together — clear Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. In this series, we rank the five best players from each tier for a broader look across the league. How close does your team come to an ideal lineup?