Paul George, the Philadelphia 76ers’ highly valued free-agent signing, left Monday’s preseason game against Atlanta with a hyperextended left knee.
There hasn’t been any immediate information on how long George might be out due to his injury. A nine-time All-Star, George’s knee gave way during a defensive move in the second quarter. He scored eight points in 12 minutes during the 104-89 win.
“I felt that it hyperextended, and immediately it was, all right, I need to get taken out and (looked at), but if you ask me, I’m not too concerned about it,” George told The Philadelphia Inquirer.
76ers coach Nick Nurse mentioned that the 34-year-old George would be checked on Tuesday.
“You never want anything to happen to anybody,” Nurse said. “Certainly, just kind of trying to work him into things. He wants to work into things, too. This doesn’t give us a chance to do that. Hopefully, it’ll be OK so he’s back with us right away.”
The Sixers have been careful with their key players and decided to sit center Joel Embiid for the remainder of the preseason on Sunday for what the team called left knee management.
The 76ers signed George to a four-year, $212 million contract as a free agent this summer. He is now on his fourth team, following seven years with Indiana, two with Oklahoma City, and five with the Los Angeles Clippers. He is a six-time All-NBA selection and has averaged 20.8 points over his first 14 NBA seasons.
With George joining the 2023 NBA MVP Embiid and All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey, the 76ers were expected to have one of the strongest trios in the league as they aim to build a team that can compete with NBA champion Boston.
George played 76 games last season, marking the first time he has played more than 56 since the 2018-19 season.
The Sixers don’t expect George and Embiid to play close to 75 games during the regular season.
Embiid has never been fully healthy during a postseason run, which is one reason the Sixers have struggled in the playoffs during his time and a significant issue regarding his legacy. If the team can’t keep George and Embiid healthy by April, they may face another disappointing season.
George made 8 of 15 shots and scored a team-high 23 points in his preseason debut against Minnesota last week.
