Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George has sustained a bone bruise in his left knee but managed to avoid structural damage.
The team announced on Tuesday that George will undergo re-evaluation in about a week to determine whether he can start the season.
The nine-time All-Star injured his knee during the second quarter of Monday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks.
He was diagnosed with a hyperextended knee and did not return to the game.
George was present at Tuesday’s practice session, however, he was not selected to play in Wednesday’s preseason game against the Brooklyn Nets even prior to the injury.
He said: “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.
Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George has a bone bruise and no structural damage to his left knee and will be re-evaluated in approximately one week, team says. pic.twitter.com/1Jhuuig17X
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 15, 2024
In an effort to manage the health of their key players, the Sixers also rested their star center, Joel Embiid, for the remainder of the preseason due to concerns about his left knee.
George, who signed a four-year, $212 million deal with the Sixers during the offseason, is now playing for his fourth NBA team.
After spending seven seasons with the Indiana Pacers, two with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and five with the Los Angeles Clippers, George has established himself as a six-time All-NBA member and boasts a career scoring average of 20.8 points per game over 14 seasons.
With George joining reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid and rising star Tyrese Maxey, the 76ers are anticipated to field one of the league’s most dominant trios as they pursue a competitive edge against teams like the defending champions, the Boston Celtics.
Last season, George appeared in 76 games, marking the first time he played more than 56 games since the 2018-19 season.
