According to reports, the 76ers, who have strong momentum, could welcome Paul George s debut as early as early November.

According to US sports media F/W analyst Nico Martinez, George may be back on the court soon. According to NBA insider Jack Fisher, the Philadelphia 76ers are optimistic that the All-Star forward will make his season debut in early November after recovering from injury. "From what I understand, there's definitely some positive momentum in Philadelphia with Paul George debuting sometime next week and early November," Fisher said. "So this is a positive factor in injuries, which are plaguing a lot of players in the league right now."

The 76ers just ended a bad season, but the 2025-26 season gives them a new start and rekindles their championship hopes. So far, they're one of only four undefeated teams at 4-0 despite George's absence and Joel Embiid's minutes restriction. The Sixers started the season with a bang thanks to strong performances from Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe and Oubre Jr., suggesting this roster may be capable of more.

Meanwhile, one of their greatest weapons, Paul George, has yet to play a minute this season as he recovers from left knee surgery. He suffered a setback in July and was re-evaluated at the start of training camp. The 35-year-old veteran swingman is back and looking to have a better season than last season. In his first 41 games with the team, George struggled to find his rhythm. He averaged 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game while shooting 43.0% from the field. He was a shell as injuries continued to take their toll.

While the same issues have crept into this new season, George still has a chance to change the narrative if he can stay healthy. His game may slow down as he ages, but if he's willing to adjust and commit to developing new habits, he can make it decline gracefully. At the very least, he can help the 76ers maintain their current momentum. As a veteran two-way wing, George's skillset is still valuable and he could significantly increase their ceiling if he stays healthy enough to make a lasting impact.

This will be the "next guy" for the Sixers until he returns. In a highly competitive Eastern Conference, they can't afford to lose their edge, which means someone else will have to be their consistent scorer. Ultimately, while the Sixers may regret George's four-year, $211.6 million max contract, they now have no choice but to rely on him. With their "Big Three" locked in, Philadelphia's winning window is wide open, but if this experiment fails, it could end the Joel Embiid era (zero NBA Finals appearances) prematurely.

Paul George's return may be the turning point that the 76ers have been waiting for. If he can stay healthy and get back into rhythm, Philadelphia will finally have the complete roster envisioned at the start of this new era. The pressure is great, but the opportunity is also great. George now has the opportunity to put all the doubters to rest once and for all. If it fails, as mentioned above, Maxey and VJ may now take over the Embiid era; and Embiid and George's journey in Philadelphia is coming to an end.