As per Sportrac, Joel Embiid and Paul George pocketed $51,415,938 and $49,205,800 in annual contracts, respectively. Unfortunately, due to injuries, their output on the hardwood was limited to 19 and 41 games, respectively. Both of them went under the knife, with their return before the training camp in question. Should the Philadelphia 76ers fans be worried? Matt Barnes has an update on the PG front, which might bring some relief.

George was shut down due to an injury during a workout, ruling him out for the remainder of the 2024-25 season. It was in July that the 9x All-Star underwent arthroscopic knee surgery. And this one has worked, at least that’s what Barnes claims. The former champion was on The Underground Lounge podcast and spoke about how the 76ers’ chances this season depend on Embiid and George. “I think it’s up to Embiid if he going to show up. Is PG’s knee going to be all right? I just talked to P the other day. He said he’s feeling a lot better”.

The 35-year-old is feeling a lot better since the nagging knee issues have finally been solved. “They found something they should have found a long time ago in his knee that they got done.” During the last season, Paul George needed several injections in his left knee in order to give his best on the court. But those injuries took their toll, and the 15-year veteran averaged 16.2 points per game, his fewest since 2014-15. So, the successful surgery update is not the only thing 76ers fans are happy about.

Recently, the team added photos from the practice session, and both their superstars were captured in action. Joel Embiid was on the court practicing shooting, while George was in the gym doing an incline dumbbell press with some heavy dumbbells. If everything remains, they can finally contend for the championship as intended in the last season alongside the young star Tyrese Maxey.

Last year, the trio only played 18 games together. And shockingly, they finished only 15 of them due to injuries, ejections, and such. The injuries and inconsistencies ruined their chances of winning anything, and it resulted in a 24-58 season. It was disappointing since the Big3 promise failed, and the 76ers missed the playoffs for the first time in eight years.

Positive update is not just related to Paul George

This might be the final roll of the dice that the Philly front office offers to their superstars. Apart from them getting better, their competition in the East got a little easier. The 2024 NBA champions, the Boston Celtics, don’t have their star player, Jayson Tatum, due to his ACL tear. Plus, the key pieces of the team, like Porzingis, Holiday, and Horford, are not part of the current roster. Similarly, the 2025 Eastern Conference champions, the Pacers, will miss the services of Tyrese Haliburton for the majority of the season. They also traded away their Center, Turner, to the Bucks.

Even though the Milwaukee outfit got its big, the team had to stretch and waive Damian Lillard’s contract. That’s why the healthy 76ers can find an opportunity to cement their playoff success. For that, apart from Paul George, they will need Joel Embiid, too. The 2023 MVP seems to be back on track, since the video of him working out had an important omission. The 7x All-Star, who couldn’t move without the knee brace, was shockingly not wearing one during the training footage.

This was a surprise release for the fans, since 2 months ago, the 76ers HC was not sure if his superstar would be ready for training camp. However, there is no official date of return for Embiid or his co-star, Paul George. So, the optimism is great, but it needs to turn into positive results soon.