“Just Retire and Do the Podcast”: Paul George Faces Heat for Releasing Podcast Episode Amid Sixers’ 2-12 Struggles

Aakash Nair | 22/11/2024
Paul George on the court (L) and on his podcast set (R)

Paul George suffered a left knee injury during the 76ers’ Wednesday night loss in Memphis. With his team falling to 2-12 on the season, PG made the interesting choice to discuss the Sixers’ woes on his podcast.

On ‘Podcast P’, the nine-time All-Star touched on the controversy surrounding his team’s meeting on Monday night, where Tyrese Maxey reportedly criticized Joel Embiid for his tardiness. The details of the players-only meeting were surprisingly leaked to the media.

It was an unfortunate violation of trust for a roster that is already running low on morale. However, fans were particularly displeased with George’s decision to make content out of his team’s struggles.

One X user even urged PG to hang up his boots so he can focus full-time on his podcasting career. “Just retire and do the podcast at this point,” he wrote.

While harsh, one can understand the frustration of Philly fans. “Rather than figuring out a change…” one user commented, implying that PG is more focused on leveraging the buzz around his team’s horrific record and interpersonal controversy than he is on turning their sinking ship around.

The timing of his podcast does make George seem rather disconnected from the core. One of the comments even suggested that this episode makes it seem like PG is only with the Sixers for the money and has no drive to help them win a championship.

 

Fans made sure to share their frustration about George’s decision to air out the team’s dirty laundry, with one calling him a “real housewife of the NBA“.

“1st team ALL YAP” another user commented, poking PG for spending more time on his podcast this season than on the hardwood.

The off-season signing of George was supposed to propel their team to new heights and hopefully, past the second round of the Playoffs. Instead, the 76ers find themselves with the worst record in the NBA.

Paul George’s early tenure in Philadelphia

Philly and Washington are the only teams that are still hunting for a third win this season. The Milwaukee Bucks, who were in a similar position to the Sixers a few weeks ago, have began climbing out of their early season hole.

However, with Joel Embiid playing like a shell of himself and on incredibly limited minutes, much of the responsibility is going to fall on PG. So far, the six-time All-NBA wing has not lived up to those expectations.

In eight games this season, George has only crossed the 20-point mark once. He is averaging 14.9 points while shooting 38% from the field and 27.8% from three-point range. If the trend continues, this would mark a career-low in George’s efficiency.

The only area where PG has seen a jump with the Sixers is in his steals. His 2.3 per game would mark a new career-high if he can maintain it through the end of the season.

However, with a bone bruise in his left leg, the 34-year-old will not be in action this weekend. Philly will have to face the Nets and Clippers without their Big 3, significantly reducing their chances of picking up their third win of the season.

Post Edited By: Satagni Sikder
Paul George

About the author

Aakash Nair

Aakash Nair

NBA journalist Aakash Nair has followed the game for nearly a decade. He believes that basketball today is just as alive during the off-season with podcasts, interviews, articles and YouTube videos constantly providing fans with new insights. Aakash closely follows the game of narratives, of who will have a breakout year and who might be on the slump. As a fan, he is interested in all the context and behind-the-scenes moves that go into making a championship contender. As a writer, he intends to bring that same context to the forefront.

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