Paul George of the Philadelphia 76ers has been suspended 25 games for violating the terms of the NBA’s anti-drug program, the league announced Saturday.
The NBA has not disclosed the nature of the violation or its contents. The 25-game suspension, per the terms of the agreement between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association, indicates that this was a first violation by George.
The suspension will cost George – a nine-time All-Star – about $11.7 million of his $51.7 million salary, or about $469,691.72 for each of the 25 games missed.
George is expected to be eligible to return on March 25 when Philadelphia hosts Chicago. The 76ers then have ten games left in the regular season.
Philadelphia entered sixth in the Eastern Conference at 26-21 on Saturday. The 76ers are 16-11 when George plays, and 10-10 when he doesn’t.George averaged 16 points in 27 games this season for the Sixers, who averaged third on the team behind Tyrese Maxey (29.4) and Joel Embiid (25.7). He had one of his best games of the season earlier this week, a 32-point outburst fueled by nine 3-pointers in a win over Milwaukee on Tuesday.
George, 35, signed a four-year, $212 million contract in free agency ahead of the 2024 season. But his first year in Philly was marred by knee and adductor injuries, leaving the forward with one of the worst years of his NBA career.
George averaged 16.2 points in just 41 games, easily his lowest scoring average in a full season since he averaged 12.1 points for Indiana in his second NBA season.
Last season was so miserable that George called his first year in Philly a “low point” over the course of his career.
It’s certainly not better now.
George underwent surgery on his left knee in July after suffering an injury during training and missing the first 12 games of the season.
George and two-time NBA scoring champion Joel Embiid were healthy enough this season to keep the Sixers in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race. Maxey blossomed into an All-Star starter and a strong rookie season from No. 3 overall draft pick VJ Edgecombe had the Sixers hoping they could make some noise in the playoffs.
With the Feb. 5 trade deadline approaching, George’s suspension could have a major impact on what the Sixers do as they make a playoff push.
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