Bill Simmons says the quiet part out loud about Paul George’s future

The Philadelphia 76ers will be the toughest team to predict next season. As everyone knows, expectations for this team have plummeted, with some people considering them a surefire play-off contender next year, while others aren’t too keen on their chances of a comeback bid in this campaign.

A key part of the overall mystique about how far this team can go is their dangerous tango with the injury bug. And one of the biggest victims of last season was Paul George, who was as well sidelined for the entire preseason.

But aside from George still dealing with injury, the nine-time All-Star saw his production and overall numbers dip overall last season. Granted, injuries hampered his chances of ever finding his feet with his teammates, but he still posted some of his worst numbers since he was a rookie at Indiana.

So far, George hasn’t been worth the 76ers’ maximum contract investment. He has disappointed tremendously, and in all likelihood his production level will most likely not return to what it was when he was at his peak, which, unbeknownst to many, was not that long ago.

Bill Simmons drops a harsh truth bomb about Paul George and the 76ers

Bill Simmons, a longtime NBA analyst, presented a rather interesting think piece in his recent pod appearance, as he believes that after seeing such a drastic drop when it comes to his statistical rise, George will most likely remain at his current level going forward.

After scoring 22.6 points per game during his final season with the Clippers in 2023-24, George averaged just 16.2 points per game last season. Even worse, all of his shooting percentages took a nosedive, while he also coughed up the ball more from game to game.

At 35 years old and with tons of mileage and injury history in his body, Simmons is probably right. While there is a reasonable chance that George will improve these numbers, such improvement will most likely be marginal. Expecting him to return to his Pacers/Thunder/Clippers self would be an exercise in futility.

Going forward, the 76ers should know better than to inflate their expectations for Paul George. He’s already getting older, and given the team’s new dynamics, it’s probably smart for the coaching staff to start reducing his role, even if gradually.