Paul George ready to be 'the focal guy' for shorthanded 76ers upon return from suspension

George apologized Tuesday for his failed drug test and how it affected his team's momentum

When Paul George last played for the Philadelphia 76ers, they looked like one of the feel-good stories of the season. They were 26-21, a top-six seed in the Eastern Conference seemingly poised to return to the playoffs after last season's debacle. And then George got suspended for a failed drug test and things started going south.

Daryl Morey's decision to trade young guard Jared McCain has looked disastrous in hindsight. His scoring would have gone a long way for Philadelphia without George, Tyrese Maxey, who is dealing with a tendon injury to his right pinkie, and Joel Embiid, who has been out for almost a month with an oblique injury that initially had a timeline of "at least three games" (he's been upgraded to questionable on the latest injury report, so a return may be on the horizon). Throw in an elbow sprain for Kelly Oubre Jr. and the 76ers are currently without several of their most important players.

The 76ers have incredibly managed to hold on, going 13-12 during George's suspension, but they've slipped to No. 7 in the Eastern Conference, and McCain's ascension with the Thunder has raised serious questions about the entire organization. There is pressure all across the team right now, as a Play-In exit might lead to change that wouldn't have looked necessary two months ago. Starting to get players back will be critical as the 76ers attempt to salvage the season and secure a playoff spot.

George is the first of Philadelphia's max players to return, and the benefit of his lengthy absence was that it doubled as time to heal the injured knee that had been bothering him for much of the season. Now he's back, set to return Wednesday against the Bulls. With Maxey and Embiid still sidelined, George told reporters at his press conference Tuesday that he feels good enough to pick up some of their workload. "I feel like I'm back on that level of being able to perform and be the focal guy and be a scorer," he said.

In an apology to "everybody that was affected" by his 25-game suspension, George again said that the banned substance he took was related to his mental health.

"The most difficult thing is when your body isn't where you know it needs to be or where it once was," he said. "That leads and bleeds into the mental side of things, knowing that you're limited. But for me, I feel good, my body is feeling great. Mentally, I know I'm capable of doing what I can do and what I've been able to on the court for years."

He also took the blame for the "devastation" to the "momentum that was being built" at the time of his suspension, but thanked his teammates for "having my back and supporting me through this time."

George had averaged 16 points per game in his first 27 appearances this season. A fine total for most players, but a disappointing figure for someone on a max contract. It was his lowest scoring output in a healthy season since his second year in the league, the 2011-12 campaign with the Pacers, and while he's still a capable 3-point shooter, his creation inside of the arc has declined pretty meaningfully. Thus far this season, George has been a mostly effective role player, still serving a vital role in Philadelphia's defense, making his 3s and offering some secondary creation, but not exactly bringing the star punch the 76ers hoped for when they signed him.

But with Embiid and Maxey still out and every game critical to Philadelphia's playoff hopes, George now has an opportunity to prove that he still has star-caliber play left in his 35-year-old body. The silver lining of his suspension, for the use of a substance George declined to identify, was that it gave him an opportunity to recover in time for the stretch run. Hopefully Embiid and Maxey are back soon enough to join him, but if they aren't, solid role player numbers aren't going to cut it. Either George will play at or close to his previous star level, or Philadelphia will be left to duke it out in the Play-In Tournament for one last shot at the playoffs.