Pat Bev says Paul George can still swing championships, but is he right?

Drew Smith
September 1, 2025
Sixers
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Patrick Beverley hopped on his pod this week and showered Paul George with praise, even going as far as to say PG13 could’ve swung more championships if he had been swapped into Golden State instead of Klay Thompson.

Nice words from Pat Bev, but is he right about Paul George?

Whose career would you rather have? pic.twitter.com/vxMXRxqP3b
— Pat Bev Pod (@PatBevPod) August 23, 2025

We didn’t see any of that version of Paul George in Philly…

Paul George’s debut season in Philly was a letdown by any standard. He played just 41 games, averaging 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists. Outside of not being healthy, for most players, that’s fine.

For a guy making $212 million over four years to be Joel Embiid’s co-star? That’s brutal.

Trust me, I know that the 76ers season was lost last year without Embiid playing much at all. Mix in Paul George being hurt throughout his debut season and it turned out to be a complete disaster.

In his limited time, Paul George didn’t look like the MVP candidate from a few years ago, or even the consistent two-way threat that carried stretches with the Pacers or Clippers.

At times, he looked like a role player cashing a superstar’s paycheck.

That’s the real question hanging over the Sixers heading into 2025-26 season. Can Paul George actually get back to that level, or even close to it?

If he can, this team becomes dangerous again in an Eastern Conference that’s as open as it’s been in years. If he can’t, then Daryl Morey and the Sixers are staring down another expensive “what if” in a city that’s seen way too many of them.

Obviously, Embiid needs to be healthy too, but that goes without saying.

Get Excited: ESPN predicts the Sixers will be seeking in-season trades, have a bounce-back year in 2025

Beverley might see flashes of the old PG, and sure, those flashes are still there.

We know all too well here in Philly that flashes don’t win playoff series.

The Sixers don’t need one night of vintage Paul George. They need consistency, health, and a guy who can take over games next to Joel Embiid when it matters most.

Until then? All we’ve got is hope, a bloated stat line that doesn’t come close to living up to the hype, and the uncomfortable reminder that the clock is ticking on Joel Embiid’s window, not only to win, but to simply play basketball at a high-level.