Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George has been suspended without pay for 25 games for violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program, the league announced on Saturday.
The 35-year-old George will not return until late March.
In a statement to ESPN, the 16-year veteran says he made a mistake.
“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.”
Last season, George played in only 41 games due to injuries, and this season, he missed 12 games after offseason knee surgery.
George, who signed a four-year, $212 million contract with the 76ers last offseason, is averaging 16 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in 27 games this season.
The nine-time All-Star had been playing decently for the 76ers on both ends of the court. Without him, Philadelphia will have to rely on Dominick Barlow or maybe Trendon Watford to man the power forward spot.
The 76ers, who have won three straight and are coming together as a team, hold the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference and have a huge five-game West Coast trip that starts on Monday in Los Angeles against the Clippers.
If the trip is disastrous, they easily could drop in the standings.
This is a big blow for the 76ers, especially with the positive vibes around the team with Joel Embiid playing at a high level again, and Tyrese Maxey having a great year. You thought Philly’s Big 3 was coming together.
Hopefully, for the 76ers, they can weather the storm.
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