SI

NBA Fans Noticed Joel Embiid Subtly Glancing at Paul George While Discussing 76ers' Plans

Tim Capurso

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid smiles while being interviewed on ESPN during the broadcast of the NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Tx. on Friday night.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid smiles while being interviewed on ESPN during the broadcast of the NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Tx. on Friday night. / Screengrab Twitter @TheHoopCentral
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There were a few memorable moments on ESPN's NBA Countdown ahead of Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks on Friday night, especially when Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid said that the Celtics, who, at the time held a 3–0 series lead and were on the brink of sweeping the NBA Finals, were not a dynasty.

But arguably Embiid's best moment of the broadcast was far more subtle.

Moments after declaring his hatred for Boston, Embiid, with rumored potential 76ers offseason target and current Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George seated to his right, began to discuss ways that the 76ers can "hopefully get better and add some pieces."

Only, right before uttering the words "add some pieces," Embiid took a subtle glance at George.

NBA fans definitely noticed.

Whether it was a subtle hint at the 76ers' pursuit of George or a reminder to the Sixers' front office, Embiid knew exactly what he was doing, as he could hardly contain his laughter after glancing at George.

George, 34, is eligible for a four-year contract extension worth upwards of $220 million from Los Angeles, and the Clippers have engaged the two-way star in talks for months, though the two sides are "apart" on a deal at the moment, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst.

If no contract is agreed upon by June 30, George can then decline his $48.8 million player option for the 2024-25 season and become an unrestricted free agent, where he would be fair game for the 76ers, who have reportedly expressed interest in George.

Judging by Embiid's glance at George, the Sixers star would like to see his team make a heavy push to sign the Clippers wing.

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Tim Capurso
TIM CAPURSO

Tim Capurso is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in November 2023, he wrote for RotoBaller and ClutchPoints, where he was the lead editor for MLB, college football and NFL coverage. A lifelong Yankees and Giants fan, Capurso grew up just outside New York City and now lives near Philadelphia. When he's not writing, he enjoys reading, exercising and spending time with his family, including his three-legged cat Willow, who, unfortunately, is an Eagles fan.

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