The Philadelphia 76ers’ season looks to be over before it even started, after they suffered an offseason “gut punch” to one of their All-Star players.
The Sixers are coming off the back of an abysmal 24-58 season. 2023 MVP Joel Embiid was shut down for the season in the latest episode of his injury saga. Meanwhile, Paul George’s decline was startling in his first season in Philly, and he couldn’t stay on the court either.
However, the Eastern Conference is wide open this season. Jayson Tatum is out for most of the season with a torn Achilles, as the Boston Celtics are struggling through the season. The same goes for the NBA Finalists, the Indiana Pacers, after Tyrese Haliburton’s Achilles tear.
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The hope was that the 76ers could regroup and get healthy over the summer, making a deep run in the East. But those hopes look shot before the season even began.
Nine-time All-Star Paul George undergoes offseason knee surgery
While the Sixers attempted to get healthy, it appears they are only getting more hurt. They were hopeful of a resurgence from George in the upcoming season, but after suffering a knee injury during a workout, he was forced to undergo surgery.
Speaking on ESPN, NBA Insider Shams Charania said, “I’m told Paul George suffered the injury during an on-court workout this week, and it led to him visiting a doctor on Friday.
“The decision was made to undergo arthroscopic surgery because the doctors felt that this would be an injury that would linger for a player who wasn’t healthy all of last year.
“Now he starts rehab for this knee injury, and he will be reevaluated at the start of training camp. I am told both sides will be cautious with him.”
George was signed from the Los Angeles Clippers last summer to form a big three with Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, but the trio played 15 games together last season, and George only suited up for half of the season.
Rumours before the NBA Draft were that the 76ers were considering trading George to move up the order. If they still hope to move on, his value just plummeted, and if they planned to play him, concerns of a lingering knee injury may curtail those plans too.
Paul George’s injury is a ‘gut punch’ to the Philadelphia 76ers, says NBA Reporter Brian Windhorst
ESPN’s NBA Reporter Brian Windhorst explained why this news is heartbreaking for the 76ers. At the NBA Summer League, Sixers General Manager Daryl Morey was only just singing the praises of George, hopeful for his upcoming season.
Windhorst explained, “This is a gut punch to the 76ers. It was just on Friday that Daryl Morey, at a press conference in Las Vegas, was talking about how Paul George was so much looking forward to getting on the court and showing the Philadelphia fans what he can do.
“I assume later that day, he got this news. The words were just coming out of his mouth when he heard this. Having been around the NBA for over 20 years, I can tell you that there is no such thing as minor knee surgery. Every procedure requires a big recovery.”
As of June 24, the Sixers had five players on their injury list, including their MVP Embiid. Now they can add another All-Star to the list.
PlayerInjuryAndre DrummondToeJoel EmbiidKneePaul GeorgeKneeKelly Oubre Jr.KneeTyrese MaxeyFingerJared McCainKnee
Windhorst continued, “Another setback for this team, that needs this team to be together to get some momentum.
“Daryl had to use half of his press conference just giving injury updates about players coming back from other knee surgeries. Jared McCain and Joel Embiid, and now there’s another knee surgery. It’s crazy what’s going on there.”
In an East that is there for the taking, the Sixers are threatening to watch another season pass them by as they simply hope to get their players onto the court.