The long-anticipated Philadelphia 76ers debut for Paul George appears to be around the corner.
After acquiring the nine-time All-Star in free agency in the off-season, Philly fans will reportedly get to see him play for the first time on Monday against the Phoenix Suns, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
George suffered a bone bruise on his left knee in a pre-season contest on Oct. 14 and had been out of the lineup since, missing the 76ers first five games as a result.
The California native left his hometown Los Angeles Clippers after five seasons with the team, opting to sign with Philadelphia on a four-year, $212 million deal.
George holds career averages of 20.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists on 38.5 per cent shooting from beyond the arc. The 2023-24 campaign was the six-time All-NBA selection’s healthiest in quite some time as he put up 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game through 74 appearances — his most games played since 2018-19.
The 34-year-old’s debut will be a big boost for a 76ers (1-4) squad that is still awaiting the return of 2022-23 MVP Joel Embiid and has struggled to start the season.
The seven-time All-Star has been recovering from a knee injury from training camp and has no clear timeline for return as of yet. Embiid has been a full participant in practice throughout the week, however, taking part in 5-on-5 live competition.
George and Philadelphia visit Phoenix on Monday hoping to snap a two-game losing skid.
