Paul George

Sixers’ Jared McCain To Make Season Debut On Tuesday

November 4th, 2025 at 11:55am CST by Rory Maher

November 4: McCain will be available for Tuesday’s game vs. the Bulls, the Sixers confirmed today (via Twitter).

November 3: Jared McCain is on track to make his season debut tomorrow, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that the Sixers guard will be listed as probable for Tuesday’s game in Chicago.

The 16th overall pick in last year’s draft, McCain sustained a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right thumb during an offseason workout just before training camp began. He subsequently underwent surgery to address the injury.

McCain was no longer wearing a splint early last week and then was able to practice on Thursday.

McCain, 21, was one of the early Rookie of the Year frontrunners in 2024/25, averaging 15.3 points, 2.6 assists and 2.4 rebounds on .460/.383/.875 shooting in 23 games (25.7 MPG). However, he suffered a season-ending injury — a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee, which required surgery — last December.

After a disastrous 2-12 start to open last season, the 76ers have been one of the NBA’s pleasant surprises early on in ’25/26 — they’re currently 5-1. McCain will slot into a strong backcourt rotation featuring Tyrese Maxey (who was just named Eastern Conference Player of the Week), VJ Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes.

Forwards Paul George (left knee surgery) and Dominick Barlow (right elbow laceration) will remain sidelined for Tuesday’s contest, tweets Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports.

Injury Notes: Luka, Giannis, Young, Holmgren, Beal, Sixers

October 30th, 2025 at 10:03pm CST by Rory Maher

After missing the past three games with finger and leg injuries, Lakers superstar Luka Doncic has been listed as questionable for Friday’s matchup at Memphis, as Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group relays.

It has been five days since the Lakers stated that the Slovenian guard would be reevaluated in about a week, though Price notes the actual left finger sprain occurred a week ago vs. Minnesota. Head coach JJ Redick said ahead of Wednesday’s win that the swelling in Doncic’s finger had subsided somewhat.

Free agent addition Marcus Smart, who has missed the past two games with a quadriceps contusion, is also questionable for Friday’s contest, Price adds.

Here are some more injury-related notes from around the NBA:

Superstar Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo was a surprise scratch on Thursday against Golden State after being listed as probable in the lead-up to the game, notes Jamal Collier of ESPN. Despite being down their best player, the Bucks defeated the Warriors behind a career night from guard Ryan Rollins, who finished with 32 points (on 13-of-21 shooting), eight assists and five rebounds, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic. As ESPN’s Anthony Slater notes (via Twitter), it was a revenge game of sorts for Rollins, who was drafted by and later traded by Golden State. The former second-round pick had a big game on Tuesday as well, recording 25 points (on 8-of-11 shooting), four assists and four steals in 26 minutes.
Star point guard Trae Young will be sidelined for Friday’s game in Indiana due to a right knee sprain, the Hawks announced (via Twitter). Young was reportedly scheduled to undergo an MRI today after he exited Wednesday’s game with the injury, which occurred late in the first quarter when a teammate was pushed and fell into his knee (Twitter video link).
Thunder big man Chet Holmgren was off to an excellent start this season before lower back soreness sidelined him for both Tuesday’s win vs. Sacramento and Thursday’s victory over Washington. Head coach Mark Daigneault said there are no long-term concerns with Holmgren’s back issue, per Jeff Patterson and Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman (subscriber link). “He’s where he should be,” Daigneault said before Thursday’s game. “We’re being conservative with him. If he was, obviously, perfect he would play tonight. But we’ll go through the process that we always go through.”
After missing the past two games with a sore back, Clippers guard Bradley Beal will be active for Friday’s contest vs. New Orleans, tweets Law Murray of The Athletic. Beal opened the season on a minutes restriction due to offseason knee surgery.
Although Jared McCain (thumb surgery) and Paul George (knee surgery) participated in the Sixers‘ practice on Thursday, both players will remain sidelined for Friday’s matchup against Boston, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Twitter link). In case you missed it, the 76ers picked up McCain’s third-year option on Thursday.

Sixers Notes: Undefeated Start, Maxey, Grimes, McCain

October 28th, 2025 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers wilted last season under an avalanche of injuries, but there’s reason to believe that may not happen again, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required). Philadelphia was shorthanded on Monday night as Joel Embiid was rested for left knee injury management and Dominick Barlow missed the game after having a procedure for a laceration on his left elbow. They joined Paul George, Jared McCain and Trendon Watford, who haven’t played yet this season, but the Sixers managed to defeat Orlando to remain one of the league’s four unbeaten teams.

“Last year, I think lineups changed a lot. Guys in and out,” Kelly Oubre Jr. said of 24-58 season. “But this year, I think Tyrese (Maxey) has been hitting it on the head. It’s like no matter who’s out there, we have this constant that we won’t waver from. That goes into our culture and the things that we do on a daily basis. It’s still early. But at the end of the day, man, if we can have the next man step up, or anybody come in there and be an impact to winning, I think that we’ll be better off than we were last year.”

Head coach Nick Nurse was forced to use a makeshift rotation to pull out the win against the Magic. Jabari Walker made his first start of the season and delivered four points, five rebounds and a block in 14 minutes. Veteran guard Eric Gordon and rookie guard Hunter Sallis both saw action for the first time this season.

There’s more from Philadelphia:

The Sixers are getting a historic performance from their young guards, Pompey notes in the same piece. Maxey and VJ Edgecombe have combined for 186 points, which is the highest total for a starting backcourt through three games since the league began tracking starters in 1970/71. Maxey, who had 43 points on Monday and is leading the NBA in scoring at 37 PPG, received MVP chants from the crowd. “I’m just trying to close games out,” he said. “Joel has been on me recently about that, probably since my fourth year, about how I can help close games out and have the ball in my hand and make decisions whether I’m shooting or whether I’m passing.”
Quentin Grimes, who signed his qualifying offer following a summer-long standoff over a new contract, is finding success in a bench role after being the team’s leading scorer late last season, Pompey adds. He contributed 14 points on Monday after scoring 24 against Charlotte on Saturday. “I know I’m going to get starters minutes and everything (despite coming off the bench),” Grimes said. “I’m going to do my thing. I just get the opportunity to go out there and play my game … go out there and help the team win. We got a lot of good guys on the team, a lot of versatility. So it’s all going to play itself out. It’s going to work out for sure.”
McCain is making progress in his recovery from thumb surgery and could be back on the court soon, Pompey states in a separate story. The second-year guard, who’s no longer wearing a splint, put on an impressive shooting display after Monday’s shootaround, according to Pompey. Nurse urged caution, saying McCain still has to go through “a series of days of contact” before being activated. “Inserting him in with the VJ, Tyrese and (Quentin Grimes guard) group is the plan,” Nurse added. “That was sort of the plan going into the season. Again, I think they all can do a variety of things, and give us a chance to have some more depth. Gives us a chance to, again, play some shorter stints so the energy can stay high and all those things. We need him back. We look forward to having him back.”

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

October 20th, 2025 at 10:00am CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers had high expectations for VJ Edgecombe when they made him the No. 3 pick in this year’s draft, and he was even better than they expected during the preseason, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required). Edgecombe’s athleticism, defensive prowess and scoring were obvious at Baylor, but he has displayed an ability to serve as the primary ball-handler and run the offense even though scouts had concerns about his dribbling.

Pompey notes that coach Nick Nurse used Edgecombe as his lead guard in Friday’s preseason finale and he responded with 26 points, six rebounds, three assists and five steals in 34 minutes. He also created scoring opportunities for Tyrese Maxey, who Pompey points out hasn’t been paired with an accomplished play-maker since James Harden left.

“I think we thought, ‘OK, maybe he could play on the ball some,’ and we were talking about, ‘Let’s do it at Summer League,’” Nurse said. “But where we’re at, I think he’s way ahead of where we thought he might be, being able to do that.”

Edgecombe is part of a talented group of young guards in Philadelphia, alongside Maxey, Quentin Grimes and Jared McCain, but that doesn’t mean he’ll face a battle for playing time. Pompey expects him to be in the starting lineup when the Sixers open the season Wednesday at Boston.

“I know I worked hard to be in this position,” Edgecombe said. “If I wasn’t ready for it, I wouldn’t have been here. I feel as though I just have a lot of confidence. My teammates instill confidence in me also. So, I won’t say it’s easy, but it’s basketball at the end of the day. I’m trying not to overthink it. I love this game so much. … It just flows naturally, man. I’m just out there having fun.”

There’s more from Philadelphia:

Paul George was a full participant at Sunday’s practice for the first time since undergoing offseason knee surgery, Pompey states in a separate story. George sat out the entire preseason, but there’s optimism that he’ll be ready to play soon. “He looked good,” Nurse said. “He’s moving good. He needs to have some more conditioning and things. But he looked good. He’s really pushing himself to get in shape. Defensively, he looked really good. He was really moving.”
Joel Embiid also practiced without restrictions after making his first preseason appearance on Friday, Pompey adds. Trendon Watford, who’s dealing with a right hamstring issue, was limited to drills and five-on-zero work.
Adem Bona‘s contract becomes fully guaranteed today at $1,955,377, notes Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). Bona, who may be the team’s primary backup center, has a non-guaranteed $2.3MM salary for next season, along with a $2.5MM team option for 2027/28.

Injury Notes: Embiid, George, Sabonis, Chomche, Ivey

October 16th, 2025 at 11:35pm CST by Rory Maher

Sixers star Joel Embiid may or may not be available for Friday’s preseason finale against Minnesota, but there’s a good chance he’ll suit up for Philadelphia’s regular season opener next week, Chris Haynes reported on NBA TV (Twitter video link).

According to Haynes, the 76ers plan to be “very cautious” with Embiid throughout the season. The veteran NBA insider added that he does not expect the 31-year-old center to play in back-to-backs in 2025/26.

While Sixers forward Paul George is expected to be sidelined for next Wednesday’s season opener vs. Boston, he has made “significant progress” in his recovery from offseason knee surgery and likely won’t miss many games beyond that, league sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN. George won’t return until he feels fully healthy, Charania added on NBA Today (Twitter video link).

Here are a few more injury notes from around the NBA:

Kings center Domantas Sabonis suffered a right hamstring injury in Wednesday’s preseason loss. Haynes hears (via Twitter) the three-time All-Star has a “mild” strain and has been ruled out of Friday’s preseason finale vs. the Lakers. Despite the relatively positive update, Matt George of ABC 10 thinks the Lithuanian big man will likely miss some time to start the season (Twitter link).
Second-year center Ulrich Chomche, who was on a two-way deal with Toronto prior to being waived by the Raptors on Thursday, has been referred to the NBA’s fitness-to-play panel, reports Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (via Twitter). Chomche has been dealing with an unspecified health issue that prevented him from participating in training camp and preseason, tweets Michael Grange of Sportsnet.
Pistons guard Jaden Ivey underwent arthroscopic right knee surgery on Thursday after his 2024/25 campaign was cut short due to a broken left fibula. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said there was no single incident that led to the procedure, writes Vincent Goodwill of ESPN.com. “It was something that was developing over his work. Obviously, from coming back but in training camp also, he started to feel something,” Bickerstaff said before Detroit’s final preseason game against the Wizards. “We took precautions, and then the medical team did their assessments and those things, and then had to make the decision that ultimately led us to where we are today.” The Pistons plan to be cautious with Ivey’s recovery process, according to Bickerstaff.

Injury Notes: Sochan, George, Demin, Suggs, K. Jones, Ingles

October 16th, 2025 at 2:44pm CST by Luke Adams

The Spurs will be without forward Jeremy Sochan when they open their regular season in Dallas next Wednesday night, according to the team (Twitter link via Jared Weiss of The Athletic).

Ramping up this fall from a calf injury he sustained during the summer, Sochan had progressed to 5-on-5 scrimmages this week and was trending toward potentially being available for opening night. However, the Spurs say that he sprained his left wrist in practice on Thursday. He’ll enter the regular season considered day-to-day, per the club.

Sochan is one of 15 players who remain eligible to sign rookie scale extensions. If he and the Spurs don’t agree to terms on or before Monday, he’ll be on track to play out his contract year and become eligible for restricted free agency next summer.

We have more injury updates from around the NBA:

After progressing to 3-on-3 work on Wednesday, Sixers forward Paul George took another step forward on Thursday, fully participating in practice, including 5-on-5 action, tweets Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports. However, head coach Nick Nurse quickly replied “no” when asked if there’s optimism about George suiting up for Friday’s preseason finale or next Wednesday’s regular season opener (Twitter video link). “Yesterday was his first day live,” Nurse said. “… Today was a short amount of 5-on-5, so we have to just keep waiting.”
No. 8 overall pick Egor Demin will make his preseason debut for the Nets on Friday vs. Toronto, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Demin has been dealing with a plantar fascia tear during training camp and the preseason, but it appears he’ll be ready for the start of the season unless he experiences a setback before then.
Magic guard Jalen Suggs responded well to the limited contact work he did this week, but there are still hurdles to clear before he’s cleared for game action, head coach Jamahl Mosley said on Thursday. “We’ll have a couple more scrimmages where we’ll be able to go live, some 3-on-3, some 5-on-5, and we’ll see how he responds after each one of those days,” Mosley said, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required). “Then we’ll be able to tell you accordingly, you’ll know whether he is or isn’t [ready] on opening night.”
After announcing last week that rookie guard Kam Jones could miss multiple weeks due to a back issue, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle provided an update on Thursday, telling Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter link) to check back in on Jones around November 9. That’s the same date that T.J. McConnell (hamstring) is scheduled to be reevaluated.
Timberwolves forward Joe Ingles, diagnosed last week with a left groin strain, has been cleared for basketball activities and will be available for Thursday’s game against Chicago, the team announced today in a press release.

Injury Notes: Sabonis, George, Williams, Bailey, Vanderbilt

October 16th, 2025 at 9:46am CST by Luke Adams

The Kings fell to 0-3 during the preseason on Wednesday with a loss to the Clippers. More concerning than the defeat was the fact that star center Domantas Sabonis exited the game midway through the third quarter and was ultimately ruled out for the rest of the night due to what the team called a right hamstring issue, per Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (subscription required).

Sacramento already projects to be shorthanded in the frontcourt when the regular season begins next week, with forward Keegan Murray sidelined due to thumb surgery. It’s unclear whether or not Sabonis’ injury is serious enough to jeopardize his availability for the start of the season — head coach Doug Christie said after the game that he didn’t have a concrete update yet on the big man’s status.

“Listen, your star player goes down, you never want to see that, period,” Christie said, according to Anderson. “I can’t speculate on what it is. Hopefully it’s nothing. We have some time before the first game, but those are the things you just don’t want to see. But it’s part of what we do. It’s the same thing with Keegan. As unfortunate as it is, it’s just part of our game.”

We have more notes on injuries from around the NBA:

Sixers forward Paul George continues to make progress in his recovery from offseason knee surgery. Head coach Nick Nurse told reporters on Wednesday that George has advanced to participating in live, full-court three-on-three drills, as Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports relays (via Twitter). It’s the first time the veteran forward has taken part in live action this fall.
There’s a belief in Phoenix that center Mark Williams will be available for opening night after not playing at all in the preseason, says John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM (Twitter link). The Suns big man has been playing 5-on-5 and will get the opportunity to take part in a few more scrimmages before the team’s opener next Wednesday. Gambadoro adds (via Twitter) that he doesn’t expect Jalen Green (hamstring) to miss more than two or three games at the start of the season unless he experiences another setback.
Rookie forward Ace Bailey has been ruled out for the Jazz‘s preseason finale on Thursday due to bilateral knee tendinopathy, tweets Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. Head coach Will Hardy downplayed the issue earlier this week, so there’s no indication at this point that Bailey won’t be ready when the regular season tips off next Wednesday.
Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt was ruled out of the second half of Wednesday’s preseason game vs. Dallas due to a left quad contusion, according to Dan Woike of The Athletic (Twitter link), who says the injury appeared to occur when Vanderbilt got kneed in the thigh. Vanderbilt is hoping to play a key role for L.A. this season after being limited to 65 total outings over the last two regular seasons due to health issues.

Sixers Notes: Embiid, George, Watford, Bona, Layden

October 14th, 2025 at 2:18pm CST by Luke Adams

There’s a chance that Joel Embiid could play in the Sixers‘ preseason finale on Friday, head coach Nick Nurse told reporters today, per Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports (Twitter links). Embiid, who is coming off knee surgery, was only a partial participant in Tuesday’s practice, but that was by design, not due to any sort of setback.

Nurse cautioned that Embiid’s status on Friday could still go either way depending on how the next few days ago, noting that the star center has a few hurdles to clear in order to get the green light for that contest vs. Minnesota.

In other Sixers injury news, Paul George (knee) and Trendon Watford (hamstring) went through portions of Tuesday’s practice after having previously been limited to individual work, per Bodner.

Here’s more on the 76ers:

Embiid was healthy enough to take part in Sunday’s Blue x White scrimmage at Chase Fieldhouse, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The team showcased an intriguing two-big lineup in that scrimmage, with Embiid playing alongside second-year big man Adem Bona. As Pompey notes in a separate story, Bona has emerged this month as the team’s likely backup center behind Embiid, having started at the five in all three preseason games so far. According to Pompey, Bona needs to work on his rebounding and avoid fouling, but lineups featuring him, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe look capable of giving opponents problems with their speed.
Within that second Inquirer story, Pompey says George appears likely to miss time at the start of the season, but there’s a chance Embiid will be ready to go on opening night.
The 76ers are making some tweaks to their offense ahead of the 2025/26 season in an effort to avoid being so dependent on Maxey and Embiid, according to Pompey. “A little more ball movement, a little less of maybe zero- or one-pass offense,” Nurse said. “And then worry about the spacing because I know there’s going to be enough of that probably in there.” Nurse went on to say that the team won’t be moving entirely away from actions involving Maxey and Embiid, but wants to include more “variety” in its attack. He added that Embiid is doing well with the adjustment. “There’s probably a little bit more movement and cutting and all that kind of stuff, but he has (adapted),” Nurse said.
The Sixers have hired former Timberwolves and Knicks general manager Scott Layden as a scout, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Layden, who also worked in high-level front office roles in San Antonio and Utah, had been a scout for the Kings for the past three seasons before he and the team parted ways in the spring.

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

October 8th, 2025 at 2:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Joel Embiid, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in the spring, continues to trend in the right direction with the regular season around the corner. The Sixers center has increased his participation in practice and done some 5-on-5 work, according to Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports (Twitter link).

Embiid still has to check a number of boxes before he’s given the go-ahead to suit up for a game, Bodner writes, adding that the former MVP is being evaluated daily by the team.

Embiid was limited to just 19 appearances last season due to knee issues. The seven-time All-Star didn’t play at his usual level even when he was available, averaging 23.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in those 19 outings, well below his career averages entering 2024/25 (27.9 PPG, 11.2 RPG).

Here’s more on the 76ers:

Having undergone an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee more recently than Embiid, forward Paul George isn’t quite as far along as his teammate. According to Bodner (Twitter link), George is still just doing individual workouts, though those the intensity of those sessions has increased and he’s expected to begin taking part in team activities in the coming days.
Sixers forward Trendon Watford remains sidelined with a right hamstring issue and won’t play in Philadelphia’s next preseason game on Friday, tweets Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports. Watford, an offseason addition, is expected to do more on-court work within the next week, per Neubeck, who notes that imaging on the hamstring didn’t show any structural damage.
The idea of a three-guard starting lineup is “on the table” for the Sixers, head coach Nick Nurse said today (Twitter link via Neubeck). Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and Quentin Grimes would all be part of the starting five in that scenario, tweets Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, with Jared McCain also factoring into the equation once he’s healthy.
Grimes said on Wednesday that he has no hard feelings about his contract negotiations played out this offseason. The restricted free agent was on the market for three months and ultimately accepted his qualifying offer rather than working out a multiyear deal with the Sixers, so he’ll become an unrestricted free agent in 2026. “Hopefully, I’ll be able to be back here longer,” Grimes said (Twitter link via Pompey). “I wanted to be back here on a longer-term deal, but I’m happy to be here right now and do everything I can to help this team win.”

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.”

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