When Paul George joined the 76ers last offseason, the thought was he was the missing piece for a team looking to compete for a championship. His experience and skills were expected to elevate the team’s performance.
However, due to injuries to Joel Embiid(knee) and George, things never materialized. Earlier this month, the team shut down Embiid for the season, and on Monday, they did the same to George.
According to the team, following consultations with specialists, as part of his treatment plan, George has received injections in both his left adductor muscle and left knee. Following the procedure, George is medically unable to play and will be out for at least six weeks. Further updates on his recovery will be provided as appropriate.
George, who signed a four-year, $212 million deal for the team in July, last played on March 4 in the team’s loss to Minnesota.
At one point, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the 14-year veteran was receiving injections in his thumb to get on the court.
Due to various injuries, the 34-year-old played in only 41 games this season; he averaged 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per contest. This was George’s lowest points per game since his third season in the league and the lowest number of games he’s played in since the 2021-22 season.
The 76ers(23-44) are pretty much in tank mode at this point of the season. With 15 games left to play, they are five games behind the Bulls for the 10th and final spot in the Play-In Tournament.
However, they have to make sure the pick does fall below six because their first-round pick is protected for selections 1-6. If it goes above six, the pick goes to OKC, but the Draft Lottery will decide that.
The 76ers, who defeated the Mavs in Dallas on Sunday, continue their six-game road trip in Houston against the Rockets on Monday night.
