With news that yet another Sixers star is going under the knife, the collective city of Philadelphia could be heard saying, “Not again.” Philadelphia announced that Paul George underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee to address an injury sustained during a recent offseason workout.
At age 35, Paul George‘s health has been a rollercoaster since arriving in Philly last summer, and he played just 41 games in his inaugural season. He dealt with knee, finger, and groin issues last season and joined Joel Embiid in street clothes on the bench for most of the season.
With a big three that played a limited number of games together and Embiid and George’s health up in the air, the front office should focus on their collection of young guards.
Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, VJ Edgecombe, and potentially Quentin Grimes form a young nucleus that could be used in many different lineups and complement each other, despite their lack of size. The roster should start to be tailored towards their skill sets to maximize what they do best and move away from what fits around Joel Embiid.
The signing of Trendon Watford is a signal that the team is starting to shift it roster construction. Watford, a close friend of Tyrese Maxey is lengthy forward, who has a plethora of skills. One skill that will really help the Sixers, is his ability to handle the ball and knack for playmaking, whether it be on the short roll, dribble handle offs, or on drives.
Having another player who can handle the rock will allow Maxey, McCain, and Grimes to be off the ball and focus strictly on scoring for some possessions. George could provide similar playmaking for the quartet of young guards if healthy.
The Sixers now need to operate with the lens of short-term competitiveness and long-term upside. They need to prioritize Tyrese Maxey as the number one option and build offense sets around him. McCain, Grimes, and Edgecombe need large and defined roles to provide experience for when Embiid or George are not in the lineup. Head Coach Nick Nurse needs to stagger the lineups so that one or two of them are on the floor at all times and allow them to learn how to play off of each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
George’s knee surgery is another reminder of the fragility inherent in veteran stars. George’s injury history, coupled with Embiid’s, puts the Sixers in a position where they need to focus on two timelines. However, the front office should start leaning towards the future and empower its young core.
