When the Philadelphia 76ers signed Paul George last summer, a lot of people in the league expected him to be the final piece for a championship contender. The Sixers had a perennial MVP candidate in Joel Embiid, a young player in Tyrese Maxey, and George completed the picture. But injuries derailed their season, and it seems like that will be the case again. Speaking during media day, George talked about his health, expectations for the upcoming season, and more.
Paul George Says He Still Has It, But His Body Says Otherwise
The first thing that George wanted to underline during media day was that he still feels like a superstar in the league. Asked whether he will adjust to a veteran advisory role for the young players, or if he still believes he can contribute as a star player, George said:
“I’m the Paul George that the 76ers went out and signed. I do think I still got a lot of game in me, playing at a high level. That is still who I am. I gotta get healthy to get to that point.”
Health is the big challenge for George, and that has been the case for a while. He has had one healthy season in the last six years, and that was the final year with the Los Angeles Clippers when he played 74 games. Other than that, he has played 48, 54, 31, 56, and 41 games, respectively. Right now, it seems like the Clippers did the right thing to let him walk in free agency last summer.
Paul George Will Miss Training Camp
Last year, the Sixers were hit by a multitude of injuries that completely ruined their season. They were crowned as the big winners of the summer when they signed PG13, with experts saying they have the best big three in the league. But that often came crushing down, as George and Embiid missed time.
Things are looking very familiar for the 76ers fans, as George said he will not be available for the start of training camp during media day. The Sixers begin training camp tomorrow, and it is not clear when PG will join. Speaking about it, he said he can do everything but full contact at this time.
In July, the 35-year-old forward underwent arthroscopic knee injury, hoping to be ready for training camp. The expectation at the time was that he would be re-evaluated prior to it. But it seems like he is not ready yet, and the Sixers will take on a patient approach so that he can be fully ready for the regular season.
The Sixers Cannot Afford Another Lost Season
Philly will be a tax-paying team this season, with two players making more than $50 million. Maxey will earn $37 million, and the team has a lot of money invested in the big three of PG, Embiid, and Maxey. The problem for the Sixers is that they all have multiple years left on their deals. And right now, they haven’t been fully healthy nor justified the investment. Because of the money invested in their three stars, the Sixers cannot afford to pay other players.
Last season, the Sixers got lucky and saved their first-round pick. Next season, their pick is also under pressure. They owe a top-four protected pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder. If injuries plague their season again, the Sixers will lose on a valuable, cheap talent to build around for the future.
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