The NBA has suspended Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George for 25 games without pay after he violated the league’s anti-drug policy, the league announced Saturday. George’s suspension begins immediately, causing him to miss Saturday night’s matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans.
George, 35, addressed the situation in a statement to ESPN, explaining that the violation stemmed from a mistake made while seeking help for a mental health issue.
“Over the past few years, I’ve discussed the importance of mental health, and in the course of recently seeking treatment for an issue of my own, I made the mistake of taking an improper medication,” George said. “I take full responsibility for my actions and apologize to the Sixers organization, my teammates and the Philly fans for my poor decision making during this process. I am focused on using this time to make sure that my mind and body are in the best condition to help the team when I return.”
George is expected to be eligible to return on March 25, when Philadelphia hosts the Chicago Bulls. At that point, the 76ers will have just 10 games remaining in the regular season.
The suspension will cost George approximately $11.7 million in salary — about $469,000 per game. Some of the forfeited money will be credited toward the team’s salary cap, leaving Philadelphia roughly $1.3 million above the luxury tax line, according to salary cap analysts. The savings could make it easier for the Sixers to avoid the tax without making major roster changes.
In his 16th NBA season, George is averaging 16.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 42.4% from the field. Philadelphia currently sits at 26–21, good for sixth place in the Eastern Conference, but faces pressure from teams like Miami and Orlando in the tight playoff race.
A nine-time All-Star and six-time All-NBA selection, George signed a four-year, $212 million maximum contract with the 76ers in the summer of 2024 to form a star trio with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. However, his tenure in Philadelphia has been hampered by injuries, including knee and adductor issues that limited him to 41 games last season and delayed the start of his current campaign.
Philadelphia will now attempt to stay afloat in the playoff picture without one of its top two-way players for a significant stretch, hoping George can return healthy and refocused for the final push toward the postseason.
