The Sixers should be an attractive free agent destination. But Philly isn’t for the faint of heart.

Philly sports fans are somewhat naive when it comes to the 76ers.

As one of the NBA’s most storied franchises, the expectation among fans is that high-profile free agents should be clamoring to become Sixers.

You can play alongside 2023 MVP Joel Embiid and 2024 Most Improved Player Tyrese Maxey on a squad with close to $65 million in salary cap space. What’s not to like?

But a maximum-salary level player has to be mentally strong to play in Philly, where the expectations are high.

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Sure, you are going to get a lucrative contract for being a second or third option. But along with that comes some serious pressure to end the Sixers’ 41-year NBA title drought. Nothing short of an Eastern Conference finals appearance will be considered a successful campaign. And if the free-agent acquisition can’t help achieve that or struggles, he has to be fine with being blamed for the shortcoming.

That’s why people have questioned if Paul George is serious about leaving the Los Angeles Clippers to play for the Sixers.

By now most NBA fans know the forward has a player option for next season worth $48.8 million and can become an unrestricted free agent if he and the Clippers are unable to agree on a extension before June 30.

According to league sources, Los Angeles has been unwilling to offer George more than the three-year, $152.3 million extension it gave to Kawhi Leonard. However, the 34-year-old is eligible to receive a four-year, $221 million contract from the Clippers.

The Sixers and other suitors can offer a four-year, $212 million contract. The Clippers are holding out hope that George, a Southern California native, will take less money to remain close to home.

And it’s not like he’s trying to get away from a struggling franchise. The Sixers’ 201 victories over the last four regular seasons rank fifth in the NBA behind the Phoenix Suns (209 wins), Boston Celtics (208), Denver Nuggets (205), and Milwaukee Bucks (204). The Clippers are sixth on that list with 184 victories.

Yet, playing in Los Angeles, they have the least amount of pressure of any playoff-caliber team because they take a back seat to the Lakers.

» READ MORE: The Sixers need role players, too. Who might Daryl Morey chase in free agency?

Even now, the headlines in Los Angeles are focused on whether LeBron James will remain a Laker; whether the Lakers should they draft his son, Bronny James, to keep him; and who will be their next coach.

Never mind that the Lakers suffered first-round exits in two of the last three seasons. They are and always will be the kings of L.A. In regards to importance, The Los Angeles Times didn’t even send a reporter to cover the Clippers’ 108-107 victory over the Sixers at Wells Fargo Center on March 27. That was James Harden’s first game back in Philly after he forced a trade from the Sixers to the Clippers on Nov. 1.

It’s hard to imagine The Times not sending a reporter to Philly to cover that game if it was the Lakers. So despite being a nine-time All-Star, George is able to fly under the radar in his hometown.

That definitely would not happen here, especially after bad games. As one league executive told me, Philly fans will tell you know that you messed up long after the game. He said that they’re not afraid to approach you about your performance in a public setting, while other teams’ fans respect the players’ privacy.

Personally, I don’t have a problem with fans voicing their opinions. The city is known for its knowledgeable, hardworking, rabid, and blue-collar fan base. Folks here live and die for the teams they root for and have every right to express themselves.

But it’s not for everyone, especially not for players who — in the opinion of fans — failed to live up to their lofty salaries.

Tobias Harris is a prime example.

There was a lot of excitement when the Sixers acquired him from the Clippers via a blockbuster trade on Feb. 6, 2019.

Back then, he was billed as the missing piece needed to win an NBA championship and was beloved in the city.

One of his greatest postseason impacts came months later as the Sixers rolled to a 131-115 Game 3 victory over the Brooklyn Nets in the first-round playoff series. Harris finished with then-career playoff highs of 29 points and 16 rebounds, and made all six of his three-pointers with Embiid sidelined with knee tendinitis.

“I just came in knowing with Joel down, it was a big scoring loss we had out there. I had to be aggressive from the start. I got some good looks throughout the game. I was able to let it fly, and it felt good for it to go in,” Harris said after the game.

All was good at the time. That summer, Harris signed a five-year, $180 million deal to remain with the Sixers. But the same people who adored him back in 2019 later crushed him for not living up to his contract.

Harris failed to score on 0-for-2 shooting in over 29-plus minutes in the Sixers’ 118-115 Game 6 opening-round loss to New York Knicks on May 2, in what might be his last game in a Sixers uniform.

The truth is, Harris can play. He just wasn’t a good fit for what the Sixers were doing. The same with Al Horford, who was vilified in Philly after signing a lucrative free-agent deal in 2019. He despised being here and the constant boos he received for not living up to expectations.

Fans also got on P.J. Tucker for going scoreless in games. And it’s not odd for the boos to start in the first quarter.

Sixers fans demand more from players, especially high-priced one like Harris and Horford, and voice their displeasure when they are unable to consistently deliver.

Coming to Philly isn’t for the meek and mild, or someone just looking to get a payday. You must perform on an elite level and play with grit. If not, you’ll hear about it. There’s a reason why former Sixer T.J. McConnell is more beloved in the city than Ben Simmons.

Philadelphians love how McConnell, an undrafted player, would run through a wall just to save the ball. They hated how Simmons, the first pick in the 2016 draft, refused to shoot the ball.

So whomever the Sixers do sign better produce and help lead the team at least beyond the second round. If not, they’re going to hear about it and might regret coming here.

That’s a reason why some free agents shy away from playing for the Sixers.