Philadelphia 76ers

After suffering an injury over the weekend, Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George reportedly avoided a serious ailment.

Per ESPN's Tim Bontemps, an MRI and ultrasound revealed that George suffered an injury to his extensor tendon in his left pinky and his return will be determined in the coming days. PHYL Sports' Kyle Neubeck reported that 76ers head coach Nick Nurse said he believes George is "day to day" and does not have a major injury.

George, in his first season with the 76ers after a five-year run with the Los Angeles Clippers, is averaging 17.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.7 steals this year. He's already missed 14 games due to a handful of injuries, namely a knee injury early in the season.

Luckily for Philadelphia, it seems like George won't have to miss serious time due to the most recent ailment and could potentially be back on the court soon as the 76ers look to make a playoff run.

Injuries have taken a toll on the Sixers this year. Former MVP Joel Embiid has played just 13 games due to a lingering knee injury, averaging 24.4 points and 7.9 rebounds in his limited action.

Philadelphia will also be without star rookie Jared McCain for the rest of the year after he suffered a season-ending knee injury in December. The No. 16 overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft put up 15.3 points per game in 23 contests this year.

The laundry list of injuries has led to Tyrese Maxey stepping up to put together a career season. The point guard is averaging 26.5 points and six assists per game.

As good as Maxey has been, it hasn't been enough to keep Philadelphia in the playoff race. The Sixers are 17-27 and are on the outside looking in as they sit in 11th place in the East.

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As the desperation meter gets turned up on the Miami Heat to resolve their situation with Jimmy Butler, one of his former teams could look to put themselves in the mix to bring him back.

Per Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports, the Philadelphia 76ers could "quietly" emerge as a suitor for Butler in a potential swap for Paul George. Goodwill added that he believes Joel Embiid has been pushing for the Sixers to reacquire the six-time All-Star.

Any hope for a potential reconciliation between Butler and the Heat likely ended on Monday when the team suspended him for the third time this month.

Butler's latest suspension is indefinite and will last no fewer than five games, which is how many games the Heat have remaining before the Feb. 6 trade deadline.

One reason the Sixers could at least try to get involved in the bidding is because of the cost. ESPN's Brian Windhorst said Tuesday on SportsCenter that Miami has dropped its asking price for Butler and is "really, really trying" to get a deal done.

On the flip side, the Sixers' potentially offering presents multiple problems. Goodwill noted Sixers management told George when he signed with them last summer they won't trade him in year one of the deal.

Unless something like that is in writing, there's nothing technically holding the 76ers to that vow. Daryl Morey hasn't always been the most forthright front-office executive with his players, even if it was easy to justify why he may have backed out of a promised deal with James Harden two years ago.

Another problem, as Windhorst and Tim Bontemps noted on Jan. 24, is the Heat want to keep long-term money off their books because they are looking at the potential free-agent class of 2026 to make a big splash.

George is making more than $50 million in each of the next two years and has a $56.6 million player option for 2027-28. That contract doesn't seem likely to age well for a player who is already 34 years old with a litany of injuries on his resume.

One more problem for the Sixers is, even in a scenario where the Heat decide to do the swap, what does Butler do that significantly changes the ceiling for the 2024-25 team? Goodwill said that Embiid is pushing for the team to bring Butler back, but Embiid really can't have much of a say in anything right now because he's only played 13 games this season due to injuries.

Unless the Sixers' hope is just to get right back where they were last summer, with a max cap slot to use by hoping that Butler opts out of his contract, there's really no world where they are a materially better team than the one they currently have with a 17-27 record.

Butler spent most of the 2018-19 season with the 76ers after being acquired in a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He helped the team finish 51-31 and reach the Eastern Conference semifinals where they famously lost to the Toronto Raptors on Kawhi Leonard's jumper that bounced off the rim four times before going in as time expired in Game 7.

The Philadelphia 76ers are reportedly receiving plenty of interest in Guerschon Yabusele and Eric Gordon ahead of the February trade deadline as the team continues to struggle amidst an ongoing spate of injury issues.

According to NBA reporter Marc Stein, Philly has "already received multiple trade offers from playoff-bound teams for Yabusele, who has been an effective addition to the Sixers' frontcourt after his strong play in the Olympics for the silver-medal-winning hosts. ... Word is there has likewise been trade interest registered in veteran guard Eric Gordon, who is shooting nearly 50 percent from three-point range in 14 games in January. The belief is that the Sixers want to gauge results over the next week-plus before firming up their trade deadline approach."

The Sixers find themselves in a bit of a pickle ahead of the trade deadline.

On one hand, the team is just 17-27, there's little guarantee that their injury-prone superstars will either get healthy (Joel Embiid) or stay healthy (Paul George) enough to make a playoff run, and they owe a top-six protected pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2025 NBA draft. There's an argument to be made that the Sixers should be sellers ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline and regroup for next year.

On the other hand, they are just one game back of the Chicago Bulls for the final Play-In Tournament berth in the Eastern Conference and only 5.5 games back of the Detroit Pistons for the final guaranteed playoff spot. Even if they tank the rest of the way they could still easily end up outside of the top six at the draft, sacrificing a lottery pick in the process, and punting on a season is a risky proposition given how narrow their title window is due to George's age (34) and Embiid's extensive injury history.

It won't help the team's evaluation much that they'll be without both George and Embiid for at least Tuesday's matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers, and potentially beyond.

As for their potential trade chips, the Sixers reportedly "love" Yabusele, per Stein, and it's easy enough to see why. The 29-year-old been a revelation in Philly, marking his return to the NBA after a six-year stint overseas by averaging 10.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game while shooting an impressive 39.4 percent from three.

Floor-stretching big men aren't easy to come by, and Yabusele has more than proven he can contribute to an NBA contender.

As for Gordon, the 36-year-old guard has had an up-and-down season, scoring just 6.7 points per game. But he's hit more of a stride in January, averaging 9.1 points across 14 games while shooting 49.2 percent from beyond the arc and registering eight games with double-digit points, which is more in line with what the Sixers were expecting when they signed him.

So big decisions are coming for the Sixers. A recent two-game winning streak ended a brutal stretch between late December and January that saw the team lose 11 of 13. If the Sixers can string together a few more wins, they may be able to salvage their season, but they are quickly running out of time to do so.

Another day, another injury update for the Philadelphia 76ers.

The team announced Monday that Paul George will miss Tuesday's matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers after having an MRI on his finger, while Joel Embiid is out for the next two games due to his lingering knee concerns.

Embiid, 30, has yet again dealt with a litany of injuries this season, including issues with his left knee, a left foot sprain and a fractured right sinus. The result has been just 13 appearances on the season, with the big man averaging 24.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and a block per game.

George, 34, has been healthier, playing in 30 total games. But he's struggled to find his footing in the team's offense, averaging a disappointing 17.1 points and 4.7 assists per game.

The Sixers, meanwhile, have barely had the star trio of Embiid, George and Tyrese Maxey on the court together, leading to a 17-27 record.

That's been nothing short of a massive disappointment after the offseason acquisition of George had Philadelphia more than a little excited about its title chances in the 2024-25 season. And while the Sixers could still fight their way back into the postseason picture, it likely will have to come through the Play-In Tournament and, should they survive that, a very difficult first-round matchup.

The Sixers have never gotten past the second round of the playoffs with Embiid in the post-Process era. It remains one of the few blights on the former MVP's career résumé. Injuries have played a role throughout his career, as has a rotating cast of supporting stars and role players.

It appeared that the 2024-25 season might be different. George, on paper, was a fantastic fit next to Embiid and Maxey as a floor-stretching, two-way wing who could create his own shot when needed. But he hasn't been a seamless fit just yet, and the Sixers have a constant spate of injuries to overcome, leading to a seemingly different rotation every few games.

If Philly's injury issues persist, the Sixers won't be a contender. With Embiid out another two games, Guerschon Yabusele and Adem Bona will see time at the 5, while George's absence means more minutes for players like Ricky Council IV and Justin Edwards.

Philadelphia 76ers team governor Josh Harris maintained the franchise is "still really happy" with star Joel Embiid, who remains out of action.

"He's a warrior. I've seen this. He's fought through a lot of injuries," Harris said to The Athletic's David Aldridge. "You remember when we started, in his first (two) years, he didn't play at all. And then, in his third year, he played 30-something games. And then, he fought through all of that, and became the MVP. So, he's fighting right now, and we're fighting. And I'm hopeful and optimistic that we'll get through.

"I want him to get his body right and get on the court. If he gets back on the court, everything's going to fall into place. I know him as a person, and I know him as an individual, and I know how hard he's working. I think he's also super-smart and very in-tune with his body. He has a whole team around him, and we have a whole team around him. He's getting the absolute best care and best advice. I'm hopeful that he'll fight through this and make it happen, and that's what we're going to plan for right now."

Aldridge reported the Sixers remain hopeful their cornerstone center doesn't need surgery and will be back "sooner rather than later."

The 2024-25 season has been an injury-plagued campaign for Embiid, as he has missed 31 games due to various ailments.

On Jan. 17, the Sixers announced the 2022-23 NBA MVP would be re-evaluated in seven to 10 days as a result of knee swelling after missing six games with a sprained foot. In all, he has sat out the past 11 contests.

Embiid missed 43 games last season but returned during the latter part of the year and appeared in all six of the 76ers' playoff games. He also represented Team USA at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, winning a gold medal.

However, the seven-time All-Star missed the first nine games of the 2024-25 season while managing a knee injury and didn't make his season debut until Nov. 12.

The Sixers were viewed as one of the top contenders in the Eastern Conference entering the season after signing Paul George to play alongside Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, but they struggled to a 2-7 start without Embiid and haven't been able to dig themselves out of that hole.

Injuries have long been an issue for Embiid, as he missed each of his first two NBA seasons in their entirety before debuting during the 2016-17 campaign.

Embiid has never appeared in more than 68 games in a single season, and he has played in 51 or fewer seven times when including this season.

Injuries have seemingly taken their toll on Embiid this season as well based on his dip in production compared to the previous few seasons. After averaging 31.5 points, 10.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.5 blocks, 1.2 three-pointers made and 1.1 steals per game over a four-year stretch from 2020-21 through 2023-24, his numbers have dropped to 24.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.0 blocks, 1.2 made threes and 0.8 steals this season.

While it may ultimately prove to be a lost season for Embiid and the Sixers, there is perhaps still a chance for them to go on a run and make the playoffs if he is able to return and play close to his usual level of performance.

Jayson Tatum and Joel Embiid won a gold medal as teammates for the United States at the 2024 Olympics, but there's a scenario where they could have been playing together in the NBA if the Philadelphia 76ers had taken the advice of Tatum's trainer.

Speaking to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, Drew Hanlen said he "begged" Sixers officials to select Tatum in the 2017 NBA draft because of what a pairing with Joel Embiid could have looked like.

"I really thought that they would be the biggest tandem in the NBA," Hanlen added.

The 2017 draft has turned out to be one of the great inflection points in recent NBA history. Boston, coming off a 53-win season and Eastern Conference Finals appearance during the 2016-17 season, had swap rights with the Brooklyn Nets for the pick that turned out to be the No. 1 selection.

Philadelphia moved up to No. 3 in the lottery thanks to its swap rights with the Sacramento Kings.

Embiid, who was originally drafted in 2014, played his first season in 2016-17 due to multiple foot injuries. He showed tremendous promise as a rookie, averaging 20.2 points and 7.8 rebounds in 31 starts.

The Celtics and Sixers agreed to a trade three days before the draft that gave Philly the top pick, but McMenamin noted one condition of the deal was then-76ers general manager Bryan Colangelo had to assure Boston assistant general manager Austin Ainge he was going to draft Markelle Fultz because the Celtics were locked in on Tatum.

Colangelo lived up to his word by taking Fultz, who flamed out in Philadelphia due to a series of injuries and on-court struggles. He only appeared in 34 games with the Sixers over two seasons before being traded to the Orlando Magic in February 2019.

Tatum has developed into one of the best players in the NBA in his eight seasons with the Celtics. He's a five-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA first-team selection and helped the Celtics win the 2023-24 NBA Finals.

The Sixers have had some good years since the 2017 draft with seven consecutive playoff appearances, but they've failed to advance beyond the second round since losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2001 Finals.

The injuries continue to pile up for Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid, who is dealing with more knee issues.

The Sixers announced that Embiid will be re-evaluated in seven to 10 days after experiencing increased swelling in his left knee after an on-court workout on Thursday.

Embiid, who missed the previous six games with a foot sprain, has healed from that injury, per the team's announcement.

This latest injury adds to what has been a season full of frustration for Embiid. He missed several games early this season due to left knee injury management. After finally making his season debut, Embiid missed three games in November because of a suspension and continued to deal with knee problems afterward.

On Dec. 13, Embiid suffered another injury, this time a sinus fracture.

Amid all of the injuries, Embiid has played just 13 games this season, averaging 24.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists and a block per game. Injuries were a struggle for Embiid last year as he played just 39 games, but he was in MVP form when he was on the court, putting up 34.7 points, 11 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.7 blocks per game.

With their star out, the 76ers have struggled, going 15-24 across the first few months of the season. The bad start has made earning a playoff spot a much harder task for Philadelphia, and if Embiid isn't back on the court soon it will only get more difficult.

The Philadelphia 76ers have reportedly scrapped a controversial plan to build a new arena in Center City, according to reports from the Associated Press, Hayden Mitman and Lauren Mayk of NBC Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Instead, the organization is expected to eventually build a new arena for the Sixers and Philadelphia Flyers in the South Philadelphia complex where the Philadelphia Eagles and Philadelphia Phillies also have stadiums and where the Wells Fargo Center currently stands.

"The commissioner of the NBA was involved in it, and the commitment to Market Street redevelopment is still there," Ryan Boyer, the head of the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council, told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "We think that overall it will be good for the city. It's just a pivot."

His optimism was not universally shared.

"I feel completely bamboozled," Philadelphia city council member at-large, Jim Harrity, told NBC Philadelphia. "I'm not going to forget this... I feel they not only bamboozled me but bamboozled the citizens of Philadelphia and I'm not going to forget that."

The plan to build a Center City arena had divided opinion in the region, with detractors pointing to potential harm to the Chinatown neighborhood due to gentrification and the fear of traffic gridlock on game days in the already congested Center City region. The stadium district in South Philadelphia already has other stadiums present, available parking, restaurants, a subway stop on the Broad Street Line and accessible exits off of major highways, making it a fairly ideal location for an arena.

Supporters of the proposed site, including Mayor Cherelle Parker, were hoping it would help revitalize the Market East retail corridor. The Philadelphia city council gave an initial approval for the downtown arena plan in December.

It's a moot point now, as the Sixers are abandoning the Center City project just one month later.

Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George suggested Friday that he isn't a fan of being utilized as a center as part of a small-ball lineup.

Speaking to reporters after the Sixers' 123-115 home loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, George said, "To be honest, I'm bored," when asked about his feelings on playing the five:

Superstar center Joel Embiid has missed the past three games with a foot injury and 23 games overall this season, forcing head coach Nick Nurse to get creative with his lineup.

Regarding his current role, George added: "It's different. I'm used to scrapping and running around and chasing and fighting through screens. ... But being mindful of my ability to clog the middle and kind of help and cut off passing lanes and driving lanes and kind of battle with the bigs is what Nick sees in that style."

George also said guarding centers "don't do enough for me," noting that he "enjoys" matchups with wing players.

The 34-year-old George has been a wing player for the vast majority of his 15-year career, and he has thrived in that role, earning nine All-Star nods and four NBA All-Defensive Team selections.

However, George is also a versatile player, and with Embiid and backup center Andre Drummond both missing the past three games, Nurse has called upon George to showcase that versatility.

After spending five seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers, George signed with the Sixers this past offseason in hopes of forming a Big 3 with Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

Things have not gone according to plan, though, as all three stars have missed time due to injury.

George, who has sat out 11 games this season, is also having a down year statistically with 16.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 2.3 three-pointers made and 1.8 steals per contest, while shooting just 41.7 percent from the field and 34.1 percent from deep.

It marks George's lowest scoring average in a season since 2011-12 when taking out the 2014-15 campaign in which he only appeared in six games.

George has also been far less efficient this season compared to last season when he shot a career-best 47.1 percent from the floor and 41.3 percent from long range.

It has been a struggle of a season for the Sixers as a whole, as their 15-21 record has them 11th in the Eastern Conference.

The 76ers were widely expected to be among the top teams in the East along with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics and New York Knicks, but that simply hasn't been the case.

Philly may be able to work its way back to respectability if Embiid can get healthy and perform at his usual elite level, but there has been no indication that it will happen.

Embiid's injury woes have severely limited what the Sixers are able to do, and George's comments suggest that he isn't particularly comfortable with having to fill-in for Embiid during his absence.

Despite that, the 76ers will attempt to get back on track Sunday when they go on the road to face the Orlando Magic.