Yardbarker
x
76ers' Paul George gives honest assessment of 2024-25 season
Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) looks on against the Golden State Warriors during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

76ers' Paul George gives honest assessment of 2024-25 season

By Adam Taylor  |  Last updated Sep 27, 2025 6:30 PM ET

Pressure will be mounting on the Philadelphia 76ers from the moment the new NBA season tips off. The fan base will be hungry for success and eager to avoid a repeat of last season, where the franchise crashed out of the playoff race due to a string of injury issues.

Paul George, last summer's marquee addition to the Sixers roster, was among the disappointments. The veteran All-Star found himself bouncing in and out of the rotation due to injury issues. He was eventually shut down for the stretch run, along with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

During a recent news conference, George admitted that last season was brutal, both for the fans and the players themselves.

“Last year was tough — one of the toughest seasons I've been a part of, not just from a team standpoint, but just from a personal standpoint," George said. "From a motivational standpoint, it can't get no worse than last year, right? That was a rock-bottom kind of season. I think it was a disappointment, personally, for myself, and obviously, for the fans here. But I think there's a lot to look forward to. We've been leaning on one another."

George suited up for 41 games during his debut year with the Sixers. He averaged 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists on 43% shooting from the field and 35.8% from deep. 

To make matters worse, he looked like a shadow of the defender that we all know he can be. George will have a lot to prove in the upcoming campaign. 

Paul George could miss the start of the new season

Unfortunately for the Sixers, they may start the new season with the same issues they ended the last one with. George suffered an injury during the summer and had to undergo a surgical procedure. 

During the same news conference, the veteran forward noted that he's not currently cleared for contact during practice and is still working via stationary drills. 

"I'm pretty much everything but full contact," George said. "I'm in the weight room, I'm lifting, working out every day, I'm on the court. Not ready to start the full ramp-up of conditioning on court with running and stuff like that. I'm on the court, I'm working out. I'm doing stationary drills...I'm still able to move and be active on the court, just not ready to be a full-on contact participant right now."

Jared McCain and Joel Embiid will join George on the injury report, should he not be cleared to play on opening night. Fortunately for the Sixers, they will have the whole season to get their stars healthy and back on the court. 

Nevertheless, Nick Nurse's team enters the new season with building pressure from the fan base and a roster that looks incapable of keeping its stars healthy. 

The upcoming campaign will be a huge test for the Sixers, and how it plays out will likely dictate what next summer looks like for multiple veterans in the rotation. 

Adam Taylor
Twitter/X Muck Rack YouTube

Adam Taylor is a sports journalist based out of the UK. Adam has been covering the NBA for nearly a decade with a core focus on the Boston Celtics. He currently holds bylines with Yardbarker, SB Nation and USA Today

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.