Paul George’s availability for the season opener remains questionable.
Paul George currently suffers from a knee injury and may miss the first game when the Philadelphia 76ers face the Boston Celtics on October 22nd.
He’s attempting to return as quickly as possible, particularly wanting to prove his decision to join Philadelphia wasn’t misguided.
George signed a four-year, $212 million maximum contract with the Sixers in summer 2024.
Gilbert Arenas warns Paul George to not rush his comeback from injury
However, his debut season proved unsuccessful due to injuries limiting him to just 41 games while producing 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists.
The disappointing campaign creates pressure to validate his massive contract.
Given this injury situation, former player Gilbert Arenas advised George to carefully consider his return timeline.
Arenas believes George should prioritize long-term health over rushing back, particularly since Philadelphia has adequate depth.
“You got VJ, you got Maxey your guard play is like that. So if you’re Paul, do you really need to rush it back right now?” Arenas questioned.
“I would say, alright, if I can hold off until the middle of November, December, January, if these guys are balling, if your two guards is balling, if Oubre is balling, you don’t need to come back right now.”
“Get that knee straight. You don’t need to come in, you tweak it, nah. Use this time once it’s healthy to then fine tune your game,” he added.
The Sixers depth provides Paul George opportunity for patient recovery
The Sixers have players like VJ Edgecombe, Tyrese Maxey, Kelly Oubre Jr., and Quentin Grimes ready to fill George’s position during his absence.
Philadelphia needs George for more than just 40 games to justify his contract.
A patient recovery allowing him to return to typical performance levels would better serve the Sixers’ championship aspirations alongside Joel Embiid than rushing back and risking re-injury or reduced effectiveness.
The franchise invested heavily in George to become competitive again, making his long-term health more valuable than immediate availability during the season’s opening weeks.
