Paul George’s introductory press conference serves up another signal the Sixers are ‘all in’

Josh Harris described the thunderstorm that delayed 76ers brass’ arrival to their free-agency pitch to Paul George. And the video they compiled to capture Philly fans’ fervor. And that he got to bring the legendary Julius Erving along for the recruitment.

Tuesday afternoon was the result, when the Sixers formally introduced George about three weeks after the star wing signed as the NBA’s flashiest free-agency addition. And the same message was reiterated by the Sixers’ owner, by president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, and by George himself.

“I’m all in,” George said. “My family’s here, all in. … We felt that this was the best and next step in the phase of my career. I thought everything just aligned perfectly — where they’re at, and where they’re trying to go, and where I’m trying to get to as well

“I think we’ve got a real, legitimate shot.”

» READ MORE: ‘I think it worked out well’: Patience paid off for Tyrese Maxey and the Sixers

George had previously detailed on his podcast, Podcast P with Paul George, how contract negotiations went awry with the Los Angeles Clippers, though he said Tuesday that he holds no “ill will” toward the franchise that allowed him to play close to home for four seasons. He added the Sixers were the “No. 1″ option if he decided to depart, calling it an “easy decision” because of that alignment. The two-way wing is coming off a season when he 22.6 points while shooting an efficient 41.3% on 7.9 three-point attempts, and 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 steals in 74 games.

Perhaps most revealing on Tuesday was that George acknowledged he has “secretly” become friends with Joel Embiid — beyond that side-eye on live television that Harris joked launched the team’s courtship of George. George went as far to say that “it kind of felt inevitable that, at some point, [Embiid and I] would link up and be teammates.”

George said he has a similar personality as Embiid, who keeps to himself and has a smaller circle than many NBA megastars. But they began chatting at All-Star Weekends, and George eventually looked forward to seeing Embiid as they became near-annual selections.

The friendship reached another level when, George said, Embiid “opened up to me.”

“He said, ‘Man, regardless of what goes on, I look at you as someone that I want to be friends with for a long part of my life,’” George recalled. “And that was deep to me. We knew each other, but we didn’t know each other on that level yet. And for him to just open up to me, it felt right. …

“At that point on, we kind of just built a stronger relationship to where it came to this summer, where we talked and we just kind of had our ways of how this could work with us being out there together.”

Tactically, Sixers coach Nick Nurse said Embiid and Tyrese Maxey are “bookends” at center and point guard, respectively, and that “Paul slots right in the middle of that, for sure.”

» READ MORE: Paul George is asking Philly to bring on the criticism: ‘Be as critical and as hard as you can’

George compared Maxey — who on Tuesday also celebrated signing his max contract extension — to playing alongside former Clipper and Oklahoma City Thunder teammate Russell Westbrook, who creates offense with blazing speed. George hopes his floor-spacing and versatility can help free up the dominant and skilled Embiid to make quick moves on the block. George believes he can be another late-game option, taking pressure off both All-Stars. George also picked up a respect for Nurse from former Clippers teammate (and Toronto Raptor) Kawhi Leonard, jokingly noting that when “Kawhi speaks, you listen.”

“I know what I’m out there to do,” George said, “and that’s, ultimately, put the ball in the basket, and try to guard the best player on the other team.”

» READ MORE: Sixers set to add Reggie Jackson after he clears waivers, rounding out impressive backcourt

George was the headliner of the Sixers’ busy offseason.

They also brought in projected starting forward Caleb Martin, formidable backup center Andre Drummond, and veteran sharpshooter Eric Gordon — and plan to sign veteran point guard Reggie Jackson once he clears waivers after being released Tuesday by the Charlotte Hornets, a source confirmed to The Inquirer. The Sixers also re-signed athletic wings Kelly Oubre Jr. and KJ Martin, and veteran point guard Kyle Lowry. They also drafted Duke sharpshooter Jared McCain and defensive big man Adem Bona. Those moves are designed to keep up with the defending-champion Boston Celtics, whose star-studded roster will remain intact, and New York Knicks, who added Mikal Bridges and re-signed OG Anunoby.

Since George signed earlier this month, Nurse said initial conversations with George have been enjoyable. The coach added that, schematically, “most of my ideas are going in pencil” right now, and that experimentation will occur throughout the upcoming season.

But after formally introducing George to Philly, the Sixers emphasized that they are all in.

“I know he’s hungry to win, just like the fans of Philadelphia,” Morey said of George, “and he saw this as the best place where he had a chance to win.”