76ers Reveal Paul George’s Injury Report Status vs Bucks

Could Paul George make his regular-season debut with the Sixers on Wednesday?

Apr 12, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George (13) warms up prior to the NBA game against the Utah Jazz at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Will Paul George make his official Philadelphia 76ers debut against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday?

On Tuesday, the Sixers are listing George as out for the matchup.

The 34-year-old nine-time NBA All-Star’s debut date remains unclear at this point.

Oct 11, 2024; Des Moines, Iowa, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid (11) defends Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) at Wells Fargo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images / Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

Fortunately for the Sixers, they haven’t been totally left in the dark regarding what George looks like on the court with the 2024-2025 roster. As they paid a visit to the Minnesota Timberwolves a couple of weeks back, George made his debut by starting in a Joel Embiid-less lineup.

While George got the next game off, he returned to the floor to face the Atlanta Hawks a few nights later. His night ended much sooner than expected and resulted in George undergoing an MRI on his knee the following day.

The Sixers ruled out George in the second quarter with a hyperextended knee. MRI results were ideal, revealing no structural damage. Still, George’s playing status for Wednesday’s game immediately came into question as the Sixers put him on a one-week recovery timeline.

George would go on to miss the final two preseason games. He also stayed off the court when the Sixers opened up their final stretch of offseason practices on Monday. At that point, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse noted George had to go through his re-evaluation before the team decided to address a potential playing status against the Bucks.

The Sixers say George has been "recovering well" from his setback. He is expected to participate in on-court activities throughout the week. While George will miss the opener, he could be available later in the week after another evaluation, according to a team official.

The Sixers invested a lot into George this offseason. With plenty of cap space heading into free agency, the Sixers were set to target the Los Angeles Clippers forward as he declined his player option for next season. George considered other avenues but was sold on joining the 76ers.

An All-Star trio of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and George is expected to be one of the strongest groups of star teammates in the NBA. So far, they haven’t had a chance to share the court together.