Philadelphia 76ers star forward Paul George has been suspended.
Quite a stunning announcement was made late Saturday morning involving Philadelphia 76ers star forward Paul George.
NBA insider Shams Charania of ESPN announced that George has been suspended 25 games for violating the league's anti-drug policy.
"Just In: The NBA has suspended Philadelphia 76ers' Paul George for 25 games for violating the league's anti-drug policy," Charania posted to X.
George was having another solid campaign for the Sixers, but this suspension will sideline him for almost the remainder of the regular season. The earliest he can return will be Philadelphia's 72nd game of the season, which means there will be just 10 games remaining in the regular season.
George made the following statement to ESPN regarding his suspension:
“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 concluded.
This season, George is averaging 16.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists on 42.4% shooting and 38.2% shooting from three-point range. He was off the injury report entirely for Saturday's matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans.
The 76ers have a record of 26-21 prior to the game against the Pelicans, which is good for the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference. This record puts them behind the Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, and Cleveland Cavaliers.
The superstar duo of Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid is now forced to carry the 76ers to the postseason much on their own. George was the No. 3 option, so Kelly Oubre Jr., Quentin Grimes, and V.J. Edgecombe will need to step up big for the remainder of the regular season.
If the 76ers were pondering the idea of moving Oubre or Grimes before the Feb. 5 trade deadline, the suspension of George should greatly change their plans.
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