Paul George Reportedly in 'Final Stage' of Injury Rehab, When Could 76ers Star Return?

The Philadelphia 76ers are just 3-4 in their last seven games, but they reportedly could be getting some firepower back in the near future.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported Tuesday that "Paul George is in the final stage of his debut process and will be re-evaluated later this week. He is moving closer to a return, but doctors want additional strength of his left quadriceps to support the knee before clearance."

The nine-time All-Star underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in July and is yet to play this season.

Charania's update comes after 76ers head coach Nick Nurse told reporters Friday that George was scheduled to meet with doctors over the weekend in "the last hurdle" prior to his clearance.

Injuries have been a concern throughout George's career. He was limited to 41 games last season and has surpassed the 56-game mark just once since the 2018-19 campaign.

Despite the durability issues, George's impressive resume includes six All-NBA selections, four All-Defensive selections and nine All-Star Game nods. He was one of the best two-way players in the league at his peak during previous stops with the Indiana Pacers, Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Clippers.

Yet injuries have prevented him from becoming the full impact player Philadelphia was surely envisioning when it signed him to a four-year deal ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.

At this point, the 35-year-old will not be asked to carry the offense like he did earlier in his career for previous teams. Tyrese Maxey is the go-to option, while Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe can take over games for extended stretches.

Embiid is also an oft-injured star and something of a question mark for a 76ers team hoping to compete in the Eastern Conference.

On paper, a team with Embiid, George, Maxey and Edgecombe could be dangerous, but that would require them all to be on the floor at the same time. George is yet to play this season, but the team can at least take solace knowing he is progressing toward his eventual return.