Paul George
Getty
Paul George is out for the Philadelphia 76er's game against the Golden State Warriors on Thursday, December 4.
With several key players out for the Philadelphia 76ers, the team is relying a lot on its rookie star, VJ Edgecombe.
Soon, Edgecombe and the Sixers will get a notable boost in the lineup.
Following the 123-103 loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Sixers made it clear that Paul George is going to return to the team as early as this week.
Over the past 25 games, George has been forced to sit out for the Sixers, as he served a league-issued suspension. Ahead of the March 25 matcup against the Chicago Bulls, VJ Edgecombe made his feelings clear on the return of the nine-time All-Star.
V.J. Edgecombe, Philadelphia 76ers, Joel Embiid
GettyVJ Edgecombe #77 of Philadelphia 76ers reacts during a preseason game between Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks on October 02, 2025 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
“It’s Paul George, man. He’s elite. He’s one of the smoothest players to ever touch a basketball. He’s a two-way player at that,” VJ Edgecombe told reporters on Monday night, according to Sixers Wire.
“So for him to get back on the floor means a lot. Especially after his time being out. It will be a lot for him to be back on the floor, and for me with my teammates, I just want to see them succeed, and see them happy in the right headspace.”
The Sixers Have Work To Do Down The Stretch
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GettyPaul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts against the Brooklyn Nets in the first half at Xfinity Mobile Arena on December 23, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Considering their recent circumstances, the Sixers have done well for themselves throughout March.
Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Kelly Oubre Jr., and Paul George have all had extended absences at this point. George is the first to return.
More on Joel Embiid: Philadelphia 76ers Announce Status vs Bulls
Heading into Wednesday’s action, the Sixers are 39-33 on the season. They have just five wins over the last 10 games. Still, they are just outside of the NBA Playoffs.
If the season ended on March 24, Philadelphia would get the NBA Play-In Tournament’s top seed. But the Sixers are just 1.0 games behind the sixth-seeded Atlanta Hawks, and 1.5 games behind the fifth-seeded Toronto Raptors.
One hot streak is all it will take to get the Sixers back into a guaranteed playoff spot in April. The return of key starters will help tremendously.
“I think I’m in a much better place physically. So, from a personal standpoint, really excited about that,” George told reporters on Tuesday afternoon.
“These 25 games were just what I needed, I think, for my body to kind of heal, and be in a better place, and I’ve been feeling great. I’ve been feeling awesome on the court, and so I’m looking forward to putting it to the test now.”
This season, George has appeared in 27 games. The veteran forward averaged 16.0 points, while shooting 42.2% from the field and hitting on 38.2% of his threes. Outside of his scoring, George produced 5.1 rebounds per game and 3.7 assists per game.
VJ Edgecombe Lands Support
VJ Edgecombe, Philadelphia 76ers, NBA rookies
GettyVJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts after a basket in the third quarter of the game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on October 22, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts.
As for Edgecombe, his impressive rookie season has gone up another level lately. On Monday, Edgecombe produced 35 points on 50.0% shooting in 39 minutes.
In the previous game against the Utah Jazz, he dropped 22 points on 47.4% shooting, while racking up a double-double with 13 rebounds.
Then, against the Sacramento Kings, the rookie accounted for 38 points while dishing out 11 assists for the double-double.
In 65 games, Edgecombe has produced averages of 16.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.0 assists. He’ll get some key veteran help this week.