Paul George admits to taking ‘improper medication’ for mental health issue after NBA suspends him for 25 games
The NBA suspended Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George 25 games without pay for violating the league’s anti-drug program. In a statement to ESPN on Saturday, George admitted to taking “improper medication” 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 in the statement.
“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.”
George added: “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’s suspension will begin Saturday night, when the Sixers host the New Orleans Pelicans, the league announced. When he’s eligible to return, the Sixers will have a mere 10 games remaining in the regular season, starting with a March 25 home matchup against the Chicago Bulls.
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In his 16th NBA season, the 35-year-old George is averaging 16 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game on 42.4% shooting for a Philadelphia team that’s 26-21 and sixth in the Eastern Conference.
The nine-time All-Star and six-time All-NBA selection is in his second season with the Sixers after signing a maximum four-year, $212 million contract with the franchise in the summer of 2024.
George’s suspension could have an impact on Philadelphia’s trade-deadline approach. His 25-game ban will cost him $11,742,294, according to NBA salary cap analyst Yossi Gozlan, who reported Saturday that, in turn, the Sixers will receive a luxury tax credit worth half that amount.
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As a result, per Gozlan, the Sixers will be only $1.3 million above the luxury tax line. In saving more than $5 million in luxury tax payments, it will be easier for the Sixers to duck out of the tax before the deadline without disrupting a roster that has Philadelphia back in playoff contention, after last season’s injury-riddled nosedive saw the team miss the postseason for the first time since 2016-17.
“Obviously, we’ve been ducking the tax the last couple of years, so hopefully we keep the same team,” Sixers star center Joel Embiid told reporters after a 113-111 win over the Sacramento Kings on Thursday, per ESPN. “I love all the guys that are here. I think we got a shot.
“I don’t know what they’re going to do, but I hope that at least we got a chance to just go out and compete because we got a good group of guys in this locker room, and vibes are great.”
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While George is the Sixers’ third-leading scorer this season, his availability in Philadelphia has been a concern since he arrived. The 6-foot-8 wing played 74 games in 2023-24, his final season with the Los Angeles Clippers, but he hadn’t played more than 56 games in any of his prior four seasons.
After joining Embiid and then-reigning NBA Most Improved Player Tyrese Maxey to form a “Big 3” in Philly, George appeared in just 41 games for the Sixers last season.
He missed the start of the 2024-25 campaign with a bone bruise in his hyperextended left knee. Not long after he returned, he missed more time with a similar injury. Then he missed games with a finger injury in January.
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By mid-March, the Sixers shut down George due to both a left adductor muscle injury and a left knee injury. At that point, Embiid was already done for the season, too.
George didn’t make his debut this season until Nov. 17 after he underwent offseason knee surgery, which sidelined him for the first 12 games.
The Sixers teamed up Embiid and Maxey with George in an attempt to finally get over the Eastern Conference semifinals hump. That trio has shared the court together this season for a total of 365 minutes over 17 games, per ESPN.
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