The Philadelphia 76ers went all-in by acquiring Paul George this offseason. The nine-time All-Star is one of the best two-way wings in the game, but he has a significant injury history. George is hungry for his first championship. George showcased his skill in the first preseason game. Fans were dreaming about this being the ideal match with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, but it did not take long for an issue to arise.
George hyperextended his knee in the team’s fourth preseason game against the Hawks and exited the contest. The look of the injury had fans fearing for the worst. The 34-year-old downplayed the injury after the game, but fans anxiously awaited an update.
Shams Charania dropped the news on Tuesday evening. Here is a look at what he said and the latest on George.
Paul George has a bone bruise in his left knee
Fans can breathe easily after finding out it is just a bone bruise. PG13 avoided a season-ending ligament tear or an injury requiring surgery that would keep him sidelined for months. Charania noted he will be re-evaluated in one week, but when will George be ready to return?
Paul George projected recovery timeline
Jeff Stotts tweeted this about George’s injury after Shams announced the news.
Paul George update: 76ers confirm the hyperextension resulted in a bone bruise of the knee. Location of the bruise is a major contributing factor to recovery but the average time lost for a knee bone contusion is 14.4 days. Fortunately it sounds like he avoided a serious injury.
— Jeff Stotts (@InStreetClothes) October 15, 2024
The nine-time All-Star has a lengthy injury history, and the team already planned on holding him out for back-to-backs this season. There is no way the Sixers will rush him back from this injury. Not after giving him a four-year $211 million contract this summer.
Expect Paul George to miss at least two weeks and potentially more. Fans should hope for a positive update next week ahead of the season opener, but chances are slim PG13 is ready for that contest.
The Sixers open the regular season on Oct. 23 against the Milwaukee Bucks on ESPN. Missing two weeks would only sideline George for the first three regular season games, but that is the average timeline. As Stotts noted, the location does much to determine the time missed. PG13 is unlikely to start the season, but this is positive news.
The Philadelphia 76ers are currently playing without Joel Embiid. Fans hope he is ready for the season opener, but the seven-footer won't play in preseason. The Sixers could be extremely shorthanded to begin the season, and supporters are already feeling some gloom.
The Sixers should take their time and make sure George is 100 percent healthy before taking the court. Philly is all-in on winning a championship this season. They cannot do that in October or November. They need their stars when the games matter most. If that means giving PG some extra rest, the 76ers should do it. Expect him to miss the start of the regular season, and stay tuned for updates as they become available.