NBA: 76ers’ free agent pickup Paul George leaves pre-season win with hyperextended left knee

The Sixers have been cautious with its star players and shut down centre Joel Embiid on Sunday for the rest of the preseason for what the team called left knee management.

Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers dunks against the Atlanta Hawks during the first quarter at State Farm Arena on October 14, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. | Photo Credit: Getty Images via AFP

Philadelphia 76ers’ prized free-agent acquisition Paul George left Monday’s preseason game against Atlanta with a hyperextended left knee.

There was no immediate update on how much time George might miss following his injury. A nine-time All-Star, George’s knee buckled on a defensive play in the second quarter. He scored eight points in 12 minutes in a 104-89 victory.

“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,” George told The Philadelphia Inquirer.

76ers coach Nick Nurse said the 34-year-old George would be examined on Tuesday.

“You never want anything to happen to anybody,” Nurse said. “Certainly, just kind of trying to work him into things. He wants to work into things, too. This doesn’t give us a chance to do that. Hopefully, it’ll be ok, so he’s back with us right away.”

The Sixers have been cautious with its star players and shut down centre Joel Embiid on Sunday for the rest of the preseason for what the team called left knee management.

The 76ers — which signed George to a four-year, $212 million contract as a free agent this summer — is his fourth team, after seven years with Indiana, two with Oklahoma City and the last five as a member of the Los Angeles Clippers. He’s a six-time All-NBA selection and has averaged 20.8 points over his first 14 NBA seasons.

With George joining the 2023 NBA MVP in Embiid and All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey, the 76ers were expected to boast one of the most formidable trios in the league as it tries to put together a nucleus that can compete with NBA champion Boston.

George played 76 games last season, the first time he played more than 56 since 2018-19.

The Sixers are not expecting George and Embiid to push 75 games during the regular season.

Embiid has never been healthy for an entire postseason run, one reason the Sixers have stumbled in the postseason on his watch and a pretty big blight -- fair or not -- on his legacy. If the Sixers can’t keep George and Embiid in one piece come April, another empty season could be on tap.

George made 8 of 15 shots and scored a team-high 23 points last week in his preseason debut against Minnesota.