76ers Have Promising Paul George Update Before Preseason Finale

Paul George is working his way back for the 76ers.

Feb 20, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) warms up before a game against the Boston Celtics at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

As the Philadelphia 76ers prepare for their preseason finale, the team took a major step in the right direction as the veteran forward Paul George was deemed a full participant in their Thursday practice session.

Everything has been trending in that direction, but Thursday was the first time George was fully in the mix with the team at practice this offseason.

That’s a great sign, as the Sixers are less than one week away from the season opener against the Boston Celtics on the road next Wednesday.

Joel Embiid was a (planned) non-participant in today's practice. Paul George was a full participant, including in 5-on-5s.
— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) October 16, 2025

George’s status for the Friday night matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves is unclear. With the star forward getting just one full session under his belt, it might be too early for the Sixers to roll him out in a game setting, as he might need more time ramp up.

Either way, the Sixers seem to be in a good position with their core group after dealing with loads of injury concerns throughout the 2024-2025 NBA season.

Last year, Paul George was the Sixers’ major offseason acquisition. The veteran forward wrapped up his time with the Los Angeles Clippers after appearing in 74 games for them two seasons ago. Following a second-straight All-Star appearance at 33, George earned himself a max deal from Philadelphia.

Unfortunately, the star forward had a hard time living up to the paycheck. During last year’s preseason, George went down with an injury, which delayed his official Sixers debut. He was in and out of the lineup throughout his first season with the Sixers.

George’s final matchup with the Sixers occurred on March 4. When his season was shut down, George had just 41 games played. Throughout the year, he averaged 32.5 minutes per game.

The veteran forward posted averages of 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists. He shot 43 percent from the field, and knocked down 35 percent of his threes on 6.5 attempts per game.

Heading into training camp this season, George was dealing with another setback, which required knee surgery. When the Sixers traveled to Abu Dhabi, George was not a part of the action. For George and Joel Embiid, the Sixers are forming timelines based on their responses in practice sessions. So far, neither star seems to have dealt with a setback since practice started two weeks ago.

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