NBA Insider Says Paul George Trade Rumors Were 'Nonsense' amid 76ers Draft Buzz

There were rumblings before the draft about the Philadelphia 76ers possibly trading veteran Paul George, but the idea of dealing George reportedly was never a possibility for the team.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, a league source said the trade rumors surrounding George were "nonsense."

Philadelphia parting ways with George after just one season would have been a bit surprising, considering the 76ers signed him to a four-year, $212 million contract last offseason. George hasn't lived up to that contract just yet, but it seems the team wants to see things develop further before making any firm declarations.

George, 35, is coming off one of the worst seasons of his career, putting up 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game across 41 contests. Like most of the 76ers' stars, injuries plagued George for much of the year, and it was clear he wasn't himself.

If he's able to return to 100 percent this year, George might not be the All-NBA player we've seen in the past, but he's more than capable of serving as a solid second option to Joel Embiid.

If Year 2 of the George and Embiid pairing doesn't work out, perhaps Philadelphia will consider the prospect of trading him with more sincerity.