How PG Signing Has Impacted Sixers Odds

The Philadelphia 76ers and free agent forward Paul George have agreed to a four-year, $212 million contract that brings the nine-time All-Star back to the Eastern Conference. For the Sixers, it’s a move that strengthens the team’s chances at dethroning reigning NBA champion Boston in the East. Oddsmakers agree as we will see in a moment. 

For George, it’s another opportunity to capture that elusive NBA title. He missed once again with the Clippers. Los Angeles finished fourth in the Western Conference last season but lost to Dallas in the first round of the playoffs. George would have stayed in LA, but the Clippers only wanted to give the 34-year-old a three-year deal.

Now, it’s off to Philly, which needed to win a play-in game to make last year’s postseason. The Sixers were also eliminated in Round 1, falling in six games to the New York Knicks. The addition of George gives the Sixers one of the best Big Threes in the NBA. Again, oddsmakers agree.

The Sixers New Big Three

George will fit nicely with former NBA MVP Joel Embiid and lead guard Tyrese Maxey. The Sixers point guard just signed his own five-year extension worth $204 million. It comes on the heels of a breakout season for the young star. Maxey averaged 25.9 points and 6.2 assists for Philadelphia last season. 

Embiid won the MVP in 2023 and could have very easily won it last year had he played enough games. Embiid averaged a career-high 34.7 points per game but battled some knee issues and then a Bell’s Palsy diagnosis in the postseason. Still, he averaged 33 points and 10.8 rebounds in the six games against the Knicks.

George brings a career 20.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game to Philly. He is an extremely versatile player who can spot up and shoot threes as well as score of the pick-and-roll. George is also a solid defender that can match up on an opponent’s best player. 

Trade Impact on Pacific Division

Before we see how the George trade influenced the Sixers, it’s worth noting how the deal has affected the Clippers. Los Angeles won the Pacific Division last season and was the favorite to repeat until the George trade. The Clippers are now given +400 odds to win the division, right behind Phoenix at +250. 

The Clippers and Warriors are two teams to sell in the Pacific Division race. With George out in LA, the Clips will likely take a big step backward. The same holds for Golden State, which has already lost Chris Paul and will probably lose Klay Thompson. The Warriors also lost out on George and they are actually tied with Los Angeles at +400 to win the division next season at BetsUS.

Sixers Odds Change Dramatically

Reigning champion Boston is the favorite to repeat next season. The Celtics are listed at +300 to win a second straight NBA title. They are followed by the Denver Nuggets and three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, who are given +800 odds to win next year’s championship. 

On June 16, the Sixers were on the board at +1440 to win the 2025 NBA championship. Philly dropped to right around +1000 odds just this past Saturday before the announcement that George would be signed. 

With the announcement of his signing on July 1, the Sixers are now listed at +900. The New York Knicks are tied with Denver at +800 and Oklahoma City is given +850 odds. That puts the Sixers among the top six teams favored to win next year’s NBA championship. 

The Sixers’ futures odds were also impacted in the conference and divisional races. Conference odds are often a better indicator at how a roster move has impacted a team. As late as Saturday, the Sixers were given +500 odds to win the East. Those odds have dropped to +400. Boston, of course, is the favorite at +140 at top sportsbooks.

The Celtics are a -165 favorite to win the Atlantic Division. The Sixers are now tied with the Knicks at +325 as the top contenders to Boston in the division. Those three teams – Boston, Philadelphia, and New York – now represent 78 percent of the implied odds to win the Eastern Conference. They also represent 47 percent of the implied odds to win the 2025 NBA title.