Paul George Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Paul George: ‘I’ve Still Got A Lot Of Game In Me’

September 29th, 2025 at 9:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Paul George isn’t guaranteed to be ready for opening night after undergoing offseason knee surgery, but he remains confident that he’ll return to the player he used to be once he’s fully healthy, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

George had the procedure in mid-July and still hasn’t been cleared for contact drills. He has been doing individual workouts since Philadelphia opened training camp last week.

“Again, getting healthy, I’m the Paul George that the Sixers went out and signed,” he told Pompey. “I do think I’ve still got a lot of game in me. Playing at a high level, that’s still who I am. I’ve got to get to that point. I do think I’ll be a part of camp, going into it. But I do have a voice and a part in the team to help the young guys. … I plan on being both.”

George was limited to 41 games in his first season with the Sixers after joining the team as a free agent on a four-year, $211.5MM contract. He was hampered by a variety of ailments, beginning with a hyperextended left knee during the preseason. The same injury reoccurred in November, and he also dealt with soreness in his left groin and right ankle, as well as a torn tendon in his left little finger.

Pompey notes that George missed 26 of the team’s first 67 games before being shut down for the season on March 17 after being given injections to the left adductor in his groin and his left knee.

George was expecting to be fully recovered in time for training camp, but he injured his left knee again during an offseason workout.

“I’m not a doctor, but I think just trusting my body, trusting the process, going into this season,” he said. “The team is allowing me to kind of be as (close) to 100% as possible, because that’s what I signed up for. That’s what they signed me for, to come in and be the Paul George that they went out and recruited last year. So for me to do that, I do have to be healthy. That’s really it. Again, I’m putting the work in. I’m putting the time in. I’m seeing the progress. I’m feeling more and more like myself each day.”

George also expressed a willingness to move to power forward if that’s what is best for the team, Pompey adds. It’s a position of need after the Sixers lost Guerschon Yabusele in free agency, and they have other options at the wing in Kelly Oubre Jr., restricted free agent Quentin Grimes and rookie VJ Edgecombe.

George’s main concern is getting fully healed so he can make Philadelphia fans forget about last season.

“Last year was tough,” he said. “One of the toughest seasons I’ve been a part of, not just from a team standpoint, but from a personal standpoint. But from a motivational standpoint, it can’t get worse than last year, right? That was a rock-bottom kind of season. I think it was a disappointment, personally, for myself, and obviously for the fans here. But I do think there’s a lot to look forward to.”

Sixers Notes: Grimes, Embiid, George, Watford, Edgecombe

September 27th, 2025 at 6:14pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers guard Quentin Grimes has the support of star center Joel Embiid in his ongoing contract standoff with the team, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required). Following Saturday’s practice, reporters asked Embiid for his stance on Grimes, who remains away from the team while trying to work out a new deal and isn’t expected to be part of an upcoming trip to Abu Dhabi.

“As players, this is a business. You gotta do what you gotta do as an individual to take care of yourself and your family,” Embiid said. “So just like it happened the last couple of times I’ve been here, it’s the same thing. I don’t blame anybody. I think we’re here with what we have, and I also don’t blame those guys who wanted to take care of themselves. That’s the right play. That’s what I would do if I was in that situation, too.”

Agent David Bauman claimed the Sixers made their first formal offer on Wednesday at $39MM over four years, which is far less than the restricted free agent is seeking. A source familiar with the negotiations told Pompey on Saturday that the reported amount wasn’t an actual offer and the two sides aren’t close to reaching a deal.

Pompey believes Grimes and the Sixers are headed toward a one-year agreement, whether that involves accepting an $8.7MM qualifying offer by Wednesday’s deadline or potentially a higher offer from the team if Grimes is willing to waive a no-trade clause.

There’s more from Philadelphia:

Sixers officials were encouraged by Embiid’s performance Saturday morning in his first workout of training camp, Pompey adds. The former MVP, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in April and was limited to 19 games last season, was able to compete with few limitations. “Everything from the start was live. He was in there participating in that stuff,” coach Nick Nurse said. “He didn’t do everything, but he did do quite a bit. He was moving good and playing hard, and he had great spirit out there today.”
According to Pompey, the only players who weren’t able to take part in today’s practice were Paul George and Trendon Watford, who both did individual sessions on the court. George is still recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in July, while Watford is day to day with tightness in his right hamstring.
Veteran center Andre Drummond thinks the Sixers have something special in rookie guard VJ Edgecombe, per Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (Twitter link). Drummond said Edgecombe peppered him with a lot of questions the first time they met. “The first day I saw VJ, I was instantly impressed,” Drummond said. “My favorite thing about him is his confidence.”

Sixers Notes: George, Embiid, Grimes, Edgecombe

September 26th, 2025 at 6:00pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Sixers are already starting training camp without prized sophomore Jared McCain, who recently sustained a torn thumb ligament, and it looks like they will also be without star wing Paul George, according to The Athletic’s Tony Jones (subscriber link). George told reporters at Philadelphia’s media day on Friday that he won’t be a full participant in camp.

Jones writes that George is still working his way back from the knee injury that required surgery in June, though he is apparently reaching the final stages of his recovery process. According to George, he has done almost everything except for full-contact gameplay, and the next few weeks will be critical for understanding his timeline.

“I’m feeling stronger and stronger,” George said. “I feel a lot better now than I did at this point last year.”

When it comes to his on-court outlook, George has said that he’s “very comfortable playing at the four spot this year,” according to Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (via Twitter).

That willingness to play power forward could be important for a team light on that position in the depth chart. Outside of George, the team only has Trendon Watford and two-way player Jabari Walker to man the four. George notes that the ball-handling and play-making he brings could be very valuable at the power forward position.

We have more from the Sixers:

Joel Embiid is feeling “pretty good” as he works to return from his knee injury, but there is still no specific timeline for his return, as Jeff Borzello for ESPN and Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix write. “Obviously the goal is to play consistently and not be the position that we were last year.” Embiid said. “… I want to play every single game. I’ve been pretty unlucky when it comes to that compared to most NBA players. When you get to the point where I was last year where it was so unpredictable, it sucks. It is mentally draining.” When it comes to managing Embiid’s health, president Daryl Morey said, “The doctors’ advice, what Joel said on listening to his body, which is a big component on how doctors manage injuries — that’s going to be what carries the day this year.”
Despite the public reports of a significant gap in negotiations between the Sixers and restricted free agent Quentin Grimes, Morey said he’s feeling optimistic about the partnership, Borzello writes. “I think we will get to a resolution in the next few days, hopefully,” Morey said. “But we’re excited to bring him back. He’s a big part of what we’re trying to do, now and into the future, if we can get things resolved.”
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse indicated that No. 3 overall pick VJ Edgecombe will get a chance to play a role for the team as a rookie, per Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports (via Twitter). “I think success for him this year is minutes. How many minutes did he play? Because we need to let him play through the ups and downs,” Nurse said, adding that Edgecombe has been working hard on his shooting since being drafted. With McCain set to miss the beginning of the season, Edgecombe will have a chance to earn some playing time early on. Capitalizing on that opportunity could be an important part of his season’s trajectory.

Atlantic Notes: Andonian, Sixers, Knicks

August 19th, 2025 at 7:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Ariana Andonian will be named the general manager of the Sixers‘ NBA G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.

Andonian is already the Sixers’ VP of player personnel, a position she has held since last September. She was previously the Grizzlies’ director of player personnel and a scouting coordinator for the Rockets. She graduated from USC in 2015 and received her MBA from Duke in 2020.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

How can the Sixers regain relevance in the Eastern Conference chase? According to Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes, they must treat oft-injured stars Joel Embiid and Paul George with kid gloves. He suggests plenty of load management, including no back-to-backs for either one and even some road trip “vacations.” Hayes calculates there should be at least 17 games in which neither is available and believes both of them should play sparingly until around the trade deadline.
The Knicks won’t begin training camp until Sept. 24 but The Athletic’s James Edwards III offers up his depth chart surprises, rotations and starting lineup changes. Edwards believes Mitchell Robinson should start in the middle with Josh Hart serving as the sixth man. Edwards rounds out the second unit with Jordan Clarkson, Miles McBride, Guerschon Yabusele and Ariel Hukporti.
In case you missed it, the Raptors are making general manager Bobby Webster their full-time head of basketball operations. Get all the details here.

Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Smart, Thomas, Bassey

July 20th, 2025 at 5:00pm CST by Eli Cohen

Despite the Sixers‘ lottery luck that landed them prized rookie VJ Edgecombe, the team’s outlook hasn’t changed, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Everything still revolves around the health of Tyrese Maxey and especially Paul George and Joel Embiid.

That plan has already hit a snag with the announcement that George underwent knee surgery following an injury sustained during workouts, an injury that Pompey says has the potential to keep him sidelined through the start of the season, depending on how the rehab process goes.

Pompey adds that the offseason drama, which the Sixers are no stranger to in recent years, also includes a recent ESPN article about Embiid that cast an unnamed member of the roster into suspicion when Embiid claimed to know which teammate had leaked information about a players-only meeting last season.

Team president Daryl Morey is still expressing optimism about the coming season, including George’s ability to not only recover from the injury but also bounce back after a disappointing first season in Philadelphia.

“I know he really wants to show the Philadelphia fans what he can do,” Morey said. “He didn’t feel like he was able to do that last year. So I know he’s very optimistic and excited to get out there and show what he can do.”

We have more from around the Atlantic division:

The Knicks checked in on Marcus Smart‘s availability and desire to join the team after it became clear that he would be bought out by the Wizards, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post (via Twitter). Bondy notes that the conversations didn’t move forward, since Smart wanted a clearer pathway to major minutes than the Knicks could offer. Smart ultimately signed with the Lakers on a two-year, $11MM deal with a player option on the second year.
Cam Thomas, who is currently a restricted free agent and attempting to secure a new deal with the Nets or another team, took umbrage at recent comments from The Ringer’s Zach Lowe, writes Net Income for NetsDaily.com. After an aggregator Twitter account relayed Lowe saying that there’s a consensus about Thomas being an “empty calories ball hog,” the guard responded. “F–k you and the consensus,” Thomas wrote to Lowe. “This is most likely the same consensus teams who can’t guard me and send double teams from jump ball.” Net Income notes that this comes after multiple less-than-positive summaries of Thomas’ value had emerged online in recent days, and that Thomas is likely to be particularly sensitive, as it has been speculated that there is little movement toward him receiving the kind of offer he’s looking for.
Charles Bassey had a strong Summer League for the Celtics, who are very thin at center, but according to Brian Robb of MassLive, that doesn’t necessarily mean there will be a spot for him on Boston’s roster. In a mailbag article, Robb writes that Bassey’s skill set overlaps with Neemias Queta‘s, and that Bassey’s play as a fifth-year player in Summer League might not be as convincing to the team as to fans. However, it has been widely reported that the Celtics are still pursuing a variety of trades before the season begins, so a deal that sends multiple players out could make room for Bassey to join the team on a guaranteed deal. Barring such a move, it’s more likely that Bassey lands a non-guaranteed training camp invitation, Robb writes.

Sixers Forward Paul George Undergoes Knee Surgery After Workout Injury

July 14th, 2025 at 5:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Sixers forward Paul George underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee Monday to treat an injury suffered during a recent workout, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.

George will now begin a rehab program and be reevaluated prior to start of training camp, Charania adds. The Sixers issued a statement confirming George’s surgery, which was relayed by PHLY Sports’ Kyle Neubeck (Twitter link).

Sources informed Neubeck that the surgery was an “arthroscopic cleanup” that did not involve major ligaments (Twitter link).

It’s another health-related setback for the franchise and for George, who was the Sixers’ front office’s prized signing last summer, when he inked a four-year max deal. George was supposed to be the missing link in the franchise’s championship puzzle but Philadelphia didn’t even make the playoffs after an injury-riddled season.

Knee and groin injuries limited George to just 41 games during his first season in Philadelphia. He averaged 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists while shooting 43 percent from the field and 35.8 percent from long range. He had averaged at least 21.9 PPG in his previous nine seasons, including five full seasons with the Clippers.

George played 74 regular seasons games in his last season with the Clippers but he dealt with a laundry list of ailments during his time in Los Angeles. During his first four years with the Clippers, he never appeared in more than 56 games.

Holdover Justin Edwards and recent free agent acquisition Trendon Watford could play key early-season roles at power forward if George isn’t fully healthy by the season opener.

Stein’s Latest: Mavs, D-Lo, Paul, Exum, Sixers, Hawks

June 27th, 2025 at 10:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Within his latest NBA rumor round-up for The Stein Line (Substack link), Marc Stein reiterates a report he published on Twitter earlier this week, writing that the Mavericks are “increasingly regarded as the favorites” to sign point guard D’Angelo Russell.

Dallas will likely be limited to offering free agents the $5.7MM taxpayer mid-level exception, and Stein suggests Chris Paul will be another Mavs target using that MLE. However, there’s a growing belief that Paul would want to play somewhere closer to his home in Los Angeles if he continues his career, Stein explains.

Meanwhile, while the Mavericks still have interest in re-signing him, there’s a chance that a roster crunch could spell the end of Dante Exum‘s time in Dallas. Assuming Brandon Williams – who is on a non-guaranteed contract – is retained, the Mavs will have 14 players on standard contracts even before adding a free agent point guard.

According to Stein, a handful of EuroLeague teams – including Anadolu Efes, Fenerbahce, and Partizan Belgrade – are interested in trying to lure Exum back overseas. But the former No. 5 overall pick is still focused on trying to stick in the NBA even if there’s no pathway back to the Mavs for him, Stein writes.

Here’s more from Stein:

Providing updates on a couple of popular Mavericks assistant coaches, Stein says the Nuggets are now among the teams with interest in hiring Jared Dudley away from Dallas, joining Memphis and Cleveland, while the Magic continue to put on a “full-court press” in the hopes of poaching God Shammgod from Jason Kidd‘s staff.
Despite rumors and speculation in recent weeks suggesting that the Sixers explored the prospect of moving off Paul George‘s contract and trading down from No. 3 in the draft, a league source familiar with the team’s thinking called that “nonsense,” according to Stein. Jake Fischer reported several weeks ago that Philadelphia wasn’t trying to get rid of George using that lottery pick.
Although they had interest in Masai Ujiri earlier in their front office search, the Hawks aren’t expected to circle back now that the longtime Toronto executive is out of work, Stein says. One source close to the process tells Stein that Atlanta is operating under the assumption that general manager Onsi Saleh will be the team’s head of basketball operations for the foreseeable future.

Jazz Notes: Sexton, Kessler, Collins, Higgins, Maluach

June 18th, 2025 at 6:59pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Currently armed with four picks in this year’s draft (Nos. 5, 21, 43, and 53), the Jazz appear to be exploring the possibility of being active on the trade market before or during next week’s event. On Thursday’s installment of the Locked On Jazz podcast, Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune unpacks a few trade scenarios that Utah’s brass has at least discussed.

Larsen suggests that the Jazz have had preliminary conversations with the Lakers about the idea of a Walker Kessler or John Collins trade, the Mavericks about a potential Collin Sexton deal, and the Sixers regarding a possible trade up for the No. 3 pick, among other potential discussions.

A deal for that Philadelphia pick could come at a steep price.

“I do think it’s true that the Philadelphia 76ers are interested in trading down to No. 5 potentially if they can get off the Paul George deal,” Larsen said. “That may not make sense given how long that contract is and how I think Paul George was [last year]. I don’t think the Jazz are going to take that offer, but do think that’s an offer that’s been presented.”

While the Jazz have had real discussions about each of those scenarios, Larsen clarifies (via Twitter) that they haven’t “gotten into the serious stages” and he’s not sure how many of those negotiations are ongoing.

There’s more out of Utah:

The Jazz’s G League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars, have officially announced (Twitter link) that Rick Higgins will serve as the club’s sixth head coach. Higgins had most recently been a Jazz assistant coach under Will Hardy for the past two years. “I’m looking forward to taking on this opportunity to lead the Stars and continuing within the Jazz organization,” Higgins stated in a team press release. “The Stars play a critical role in the development structure of the Jazz and I plan to continue to build on the team’s successes, preparing players for the next level.”
Back in the lottery for a third straight season and under the stewardship of new team president Austin Ainge, the Jazz face several big decisions this offseason, as Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron details in his preview of Utah’s summer (Substack link). The Jazz are currently $23MM below the league’s luxury tax. Gozlan observes that Utah could try to package together its two first-round draft picks this year, or could look to offload some of the surplus of future picks they possess through 2032. Gozlan notes that the Jazz could also consider the idea of trading star forward Lauri Markkanen, despite a 2024 contract extension.
Ahead of this year’s draft, the Jazz recently worked out one-and-done Duke center Khaman Maluach, sources tell Tony Jones of The Athletic (via Twitter). Kessler, of course, is the club’s incumbent starter at the position, but Maluach boasts intriguing upside. The 7’2″ big man is one of the best-regarded prospects this year and considered a probable top-10 selection. Across 39 healthy games for the Blue Devils in 2024/25, the 18-year-old averaged 8.6 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 1.3 BPG.

Atlantic Notes: Durant, Hauser, Nets, Sixers

June 6th, 2025 at 7:00pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Raptors are considered by “numerous NBA figures” to be a potential suitor for Suns star Kevin Durant, Jake Fischer reports for The Stein Line (Substack link), especially if their well-documented interest in Giannis Antetokounmpo doesn’t come to fruition.

Fischer writes that the pieces the Raptors have assembled would make for a more realistic trade package for Durant, who is not necessarily expected to receive an extension from the team that trades for him, than for Antetokounmpo. If the Bucks star reaches the market, the trade packages teams will put together could put the Raptors out of the running, but with Phoenix likely looking to stay competitive around Devin Booker, the Raptors’ collection of young veterans could prove enticing.

Fischer points to Raptors’ president Masai Ujiri‘s aggressiveness in trading for Kawhi Leonard in 2018, which led to a championship, though this version of the Raptors roster is much less ready to win now than that one was. That said, the team did pursue Durant in 2022, Fischer writes, and there’s a belief that the Raptors have some internal pressure to take real steps forward this coming season. That could lead to the team shopping RJ Barrett, Jakob Poeltl, and others.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

The Celtics are facing an offseason that will require some serious introspection to figure out which players should be retained until Jayson Tatum eventually returns from his torn Achilles, SI’s Chris Mannix said during an NBC Sports Boston appearance. The most likely player to be moved, according to Mannix, is backup wing Sam Hauser. Hauser, an excellent shooter and decent defender, is entering the first season of a four-year, $45MM contract extension, a deal that would cost the team significantly more in luxury tax penalties if he remains on the roster. Mannix adds that rookie Baylor Scheierman could be tapped to fill in Hauser’s role if coach Joe Mazzulla thinks Scheierman ready for it.
After a down year, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer doesn’t rule out the Sixers attempting to move one of Joel Embiid or Paul George if the team’s struggles continue. However, those contracts are likely to be difficult to trade, given their size and length. Within the same mailbag, Pompey fields a question about the idea of drafting Khaman Maluach with the No. 3 pick, noting that going that route would be an indication that the 76ers have more concern about Embiid’s future than they’ve indicated to this point. Pompey doesn’t view it as a likely scenario.
The Nets have conducted pre-draft workouts for Johni Broome (Auburn), Taelon Peter (Liberty University), and Wade Taylo r IV (Texas A&M), according to Nets Daily (via Twitter). While the latter two players are viewed as undrafted free agent targets, Broome is considered a likely late-first or second-round pick. The 6’10” SEC Player of the Year and All-American averaged 18.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.1 blocks per game for Auburn during his senior year.

Atlantic Notes: Raptors, Sixers, Nets Draft

June 1st, 2025 at 7:00pm CST by Eli Cohen

After acquiring Brandon Ingram at the February trade deadline, the Raptors are viewed by teams around the league as a candidate to make another major move this offseason, per ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (hat tip to RealGM).

“Toronto is one of those teams that is sitting there on the balls of its feet, which is interesting,” Windhorst said on the latest episode of the Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link).

Eric Koreen of The Athletic added that the state of the Eastern Conference should push the Raptors to be slightly more aggressive, as the bottom of the conference is likely to be weak, especially if Giannis Antetokounmpo departs for the Western Conference.

However, Koreen adds that his instinct is that the core five Raptors, Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl, and Brandon Ingram, will likely remain with the team heading into next season.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

After a season that went much worse than expected, the Sixers are faced with a multitude of questions, writes Keith Pompey of The Inquirer. The first domino is the third overall pick in the 2025 draft. If they do use the No. 3 pick, don’t expect standout trade addition Quentin Grimes‘ impending free agency to impact the selection, says Pompey, who emphasizes the need to select the best player available. Pompey writes within the same story that another lackluster year from Philadelphia could spell the end of team president Daryl Morey‘s tenure as the lead decision-maker.
Speaking of the third pick in the 2025 draft, count Sixers star Paul George as a firm believer in Ace Bailey, Pompey writes in a separate story. Pompey reports that George has hyped up the 6’9″ wing three different times leading into the offseason. Recently, George said, “If there was no Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey would have been an even bigger name that people would have been talking about in this draft. … I think he’s going to come into the league and make noise right away.” Carmelo Anthony and DeMarcus Cousins are two other former players who have raved about the shot-making wing, but others believe that the three-to-six or -seven range in the draft is basically interchangeable from a talent perspective.
The Nets missed out on the Flagg sweepstakes, but they still have five picks in the top 36 of the 2025 draft. Collin Helwig of NetsDaily rounded up a list of players who have been confirmed to have worked out for the franchise, a list that doesn’t yet include Jeremiah Fears or Kon Knueppel. Colorado State’s Nique Clifford is the highest-ranked name known to have worked out for the team so far, along with Tennessee’s Chaz Lanier. Helwig notes that St. John’s Aaron Scott and Temple’s Steve Settle both worked out in Brooklyn, as did Wake Forest guard Hunter Sallis and West Virginia’s Javon Small. Finally, Helwig writes that international players Noa Essengue, Ben Saraf, and Hugo Gonzalez will not be working out for the team, as they finish their seasons overseas.