Paul George came to the Sixers to help close out wins. Will injuries keep that from ever happening?

When Paul George was introduced as a 76er a year ago this month, he made a promise.

“Just being a late-game performer, someone to take a lot of pressure off both those guys to close games out, to extend leads, to finish games,” he said of his role playing alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

As George missed 41 games during his injury-plagued season, it became obvious that he would be incapable of fulfilling that role.

But when the Sixers’ most disappointing season concluded on April 13, he reiterated the promise moving forward.

“I know what level I can play at when I am healthy,” he said.

» READ MORE: Paul George undergoes surgery after injuring his left knee in a workout, team says

The problem is, George hasn’t remained healthy. So whether he is capable of carrying out his promise remains an open question.

The team announced that the 6-foot-8 forward underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Monday at NYU Langone Sports Medicine Center in New York. The surgery came after George suffered an injury during a recent workout. He will begin a rehabilitation program and be reevaluated before the start of the season, the team said.

The 35-year-old’s procedure was reportedly a cleanup that did not involve major ligaments. George, who has been hampered with injuries throughout his 15-year NBA career, has been battling left-knee ailments since last preseason.

Did the Sixers give a four-year, $211.5 million contract to a late-game performer or just a can’t-get-right, injury-plagued nine-time All-Star? If the latter proves to be true, George has one of the worst contracts in franchise history.

George was ruled out for the remainder of the 2024-25 season on March 17, the day he received injections in the left adductor muscle in his groin and left knee. He also battled right ankle soreness and a torn tendon in his left little finger.

Injuries defined his five seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers before he joined the Sixers. His hometown Clippers acquired him from the Oklahoma City Thunder on July 10, 2019, to form an All-NBA duo with Kawhi Leonard.

» READ MORE: Sixers essentially have the same roster from last season’s 24-win team

However, he missed the first 11 games that first season in Los Angeles because of shoulder surgery. George went on to miss 127 regular-season games during his tenure there.

He played in just 48 regular-season games during his first Clippers season because of shoulder and hamstring injuries. Then during the 2020-21 season, George appeared in only 54 regular-season games because of ankle and foot injuries.

In the 2021-22 season, he made just 31 regular-season appearances because of an elbow issue. Then he played in only 56 regular-season games during the 2022-23 season because of a sprained knee.

George turned things around in 2023-24, playing 74 regular-season games, and the Sixers were determined to acquire him in free agency — even if it meant giving him a four-year max contract.

He was still regarded as one of the better wings in the league. And his signing was meant to catapult the Sixers back into the NBA’s elite.

The six-time All-NBA selection and four-time All-Defensive pick averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 steals during his final season in Los Angeles. He shot a career-best 41.3% on three-pointers.

George wasn’t the same player during his first season in Philadelphia.

In part because of the injuries, he had a tough time creating separation from defenders while averaging just 16.2 points, the fourth-lowest average of his 15-year career. George also shot 35.8% on three-pointers, his third-worst mark from that distance.

The Sixers had a tough time keeping him involved while playing alongside Embiid. In 18 games when the two played together, George averaged 14.2 points on 41.2% shooting from the field — including going 35 of 113 (31.0%) on three-pointers — along with 5.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.1 steals.

In 23 games without Embiid, George averaged 17.8 points on 44.1% shooting, including going 61 of 155 (39.4%) on threes, along with 5.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.7 steals.

» READ MORE: VJ Edgecombe’s injury has opened old wounds for Sixers fans trying to get over the 2024-25 season

“I pride myself on being able to play in any situation, whether it’s on the ball, whether it’s off the ball,” he said of playing alongside Embiid at the conclusion of the season. “So it was a learning curve for me to kind of adjust to playing that style. So I’m not surprised about the moments that it didn’t look good.

“Obviously, we have to continue to work this thing out. But you know me, I’m always going to stay optimistic. And again, I think I can play in any situation. So it’s just getting better from this point.”

But how much will George be able to play given his injury history? And if he does play a lot, will he be good enough to come through on his promise?