Paul George Isn't Ready for 76ers Yet With Hornets in Town

Paul George’s first season with the Sixers wasn’t inspiring. He missed a large chunk of the preseason due to a knee injury and needed five games off to recover before making his debut.

George was in and out of the lineup throughout the year, and he was shut down for good after a March 4 matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road. At that point, George was battling through multiple injuries, and the Sixers’ season was clearly off the rails.

The nine-time All-Star forward finished the year with just 41 appearances on the Sixers. During the year, he averaged 16.2 points while shooting 43 percent from the field and knocking down 35 percent of his shots from beyond the arc.

He also averaged 5.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.8 steals per game.

Being 35 with a handful of injuries throughout his first season with the Sixers, many were skeptical about what George could bring to the table in his second season with the team. Clearly aware of his contract numbers, George is looking to earn his salary in year two.

It wasn’t long ago when George put together an All-Star campaign by producing 22.6 points per game, along with 5.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists. He was an All-Star for the second-straight season during the 2023-2024 run with the Los Angeles Clippers.

That year, George remained on several teams’ radar as a potential max-contracted addition. The Sixers won that sweepstakes, but so far, the investment hasn’t paid off.

After the Sixers take on the Hornets on Saturday night, they’ll remain set in South Philly to face the Orlando Magic on Monday. That will be the start of a back-to-back set, which concludes on Tuesday against the Washington Wizards on the road.

So far, the Sixers don’t have a timeline in place for George. As he’s practicing, they seem to be taking it day by day, seeing what kind of shape he’s in and how his body reacts to the ramp-up phase.