The National Basketball Association has issued a 25-game unpaid suspension to Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George due to a breach of the league’s substance abuse policy. George disclosed to ESPN in a Saturday statement that he had consumed “incorrect medication” to address a mental health concern.
George’s statement read: “I have spoken about the significance of mental well-being for a number of years, and while recently pursuing help for a personal challenge, I regrettably consumed an inappropriate pharmaceutical.”
“I accept complete accountability for what I’ve done and offer my apologies to the Sixers organization, my fellow players, and the Philadelphia supporters for the unfortunate choices I made throughout this situation.”
George further stated: “My objective is to utilize this period to ensure my mental and physical state are optimal, so I can contribute effectively to the team upon my comeback.”
The league confirmed that George’s ban commences Saturday evening, coinciding with the Sixers’ home game against the New Orleans Pelicans. Upon his eligibility to rejoin the roster, the 76ers will have only 10 regular season contests left, commencing with a March 25 fixture at home versus the Chicago Bulls.
Now in his sixteenth season within the NBA, the 35-year-old George is achieving averages of 16 points, 5.1 boards, and 3.7 dimes per contest, with a 42.4% field goal percentage for the Philadelphia squad, which holds a 26-21 record and is currently ranked sixth in the Eastern Conference standings.
This acclaimed player, a nine-time All-Star and six-time All-NBA honoree, is currently playing his second season for the Sixers, having secured a maximum four-year, $212 million agreement with the organization in the summer of 2024.
The penalty imposed on George might influence how Philadelphia approaches the trade deadline. His 25-game absence will result in a financial loss of $11,742,294 for him, as per NBA salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan, who stated on Saturday that the Sixers, in exchange, will obtain a luxury tax rebate equivalent to half of that sum.
Consequently, according to Gozlan, the Sixers will find themselves merely $1.3 million over the luxury tax threshold. By conserving over $5 million in luxury tax expenditures, it will become less challenging for the Sixers to avoid the tax before the deadline, all while preserving a roster that has propelled Philadelphia back into playoff contention, following the previous season’s injury-plagued downturn which saw the team absent from the postseason for the first time since the 2016-17 campaign.
“Clearly, we have been avoiding the tax in recent years, so I hope we can maintain our current roster,” Sixers’ prominent center Joel Embiid informed journalists following a 113-111 victory against the Sacramento Kings on Thursday, as reported by ESPN. “I deeply value everyone on this team. I believe we possess a real opportunity.”
“I am uncertain of their intentions, but I am hopeful that we will at least have the chance to perform competitively, as we have an excellent collection of individuals in this changing room, and the atmosphere is very positive.”
Although George ranks as the Sixers’ third-highest scorer this season, his consistent presence on the court in Philadelphia has been an issue since his arrival. The 6-foot-8 forward participated in 74 games during the 2023-24 season, his concluding year with the Los Angeles Clippers, yet he had not appeared in more than 56 games in any of his preceding four seasons.
Following his partnership with Embiid and the then-current NBA Most Improved Player Tyrese Maxey to establish a “Big 3” in Philadelphia, George participated in only 41 contests for the Sixers during the previous season.
He was absent at the commencement of the 2024-25 season due to a bone bruise in his hyperextended left knee. Shortly after his comeback, he endured another period of absence because of a comparable ailment. Subsequently, he sat out several games in January due to a finger injury.
By the middle of March, the Sixers sidelined George owing to both a left adductor muscle strain and a left knee issue. By this time, Embiid had also concluded his season.
George did not play his first game of the current season until November 17, following offseason knee surgery that kept him out for the initial 12 matchups.
The Sixers united Embiid and Maxey with George in an effort to finally advance past the Eastern Conference semifinals obstacle. This particular group of three has played together for a combined 365 minutes across 17 games this season, according to ESPN.
