Paul George Suspended 25 Games: Sixers Star Faces Significant Setback
The Philadelphia 76ers will be without key forward Paul George for 25 games after the NBA handed down a suspension without pay for violating the league’s anti-doping protocol. The suspension begins immediately, impacting tonight’s matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans.
George addressed the situation in a statement to ESPN, revealing a personal struggle led to the violation. “Over the past few years, I have spoken about the importance of mental health and, while recently seeking treatment for a personal issue, I made the mistake of taking the wrong medication,” he wrote. “I take full responsibility for my actions and apologize to the Sixers organization, my teammates and Philadelphia fans for my poor decisions made during this process. My focus now is on this period to ensure that my mind and body are in the best possible condition to help the team when I return.”
The suspension represents a substantial blow to the Sixers, currently 6th in the Eastern Conference. Philadelphia will navigate 25 of their remaining 35 regular season games without their All-Star winger. While the anticipated return of Joel Embiid is expected to bolster the team’s performance, maintaining a Top 10 position in the conference will be a significant challenge.
The financial impact on George is also considerable, with the suspension costing him over $11 million in lost salary.
Looking back at George’s career statistics, his consistent performance across multiple teams demonstrates his value. From his early years with the Indiana Pacers (2010-2017), where he steadily improved his scoring and rebounding, to his stints with the Oklahoma City Thunder (2017-2019) and Los Angeles Clippers (2019-2024), George has consistently been a reliable contributor. His recent move to the Sixers in the 2024-25 season showed initial promise, averaging 16.2 points in 41 games, but is now interrupted. A detailed look at his statistical progression is provided below:
| Saison | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | To | Pd | Fte | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-11 | IND | 61 | 20:44 | 45.3 | 29.7 | 76.2 | 0.6 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 1.1 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 7.8 |
| 2011-12 | IND | 66 | 29:40 | 44.0 | 38.5 | 80.2 | 0.8 | 4.8 | 5.6 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 12.1 |
| 2012-13 | IND | 79 | 37:37 | 41.9 | 36.2 | 80.7 | 1.1 | 6.5 | 7.6 | 4.1 | 2.9 | 1.8 | 2.9 | 0.6 | 17.4 |
| 2013-14 | IND | 80 | 36:14 | 42.4 | 36.4 | 86.4 | 0.8 | 6.0 | 6.8 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 21.7 |
| 2014-15 | IND | 6 | 15:10 | 36.7 | 40.9 | 72.7 | 0.7 | 3.0 | 3.7 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 8.8 |
| 2015-16 | IND | 81 | 34:48 | 41.8 | 37.1 | 86.0 | 1.0 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 4.1 | 2.8 | 1.9 | 3.3 | 0.4 | 23.1 |
| 2016-17 | IND | 75 | 35:51 | 46.2 | 39.4 | 89.8 | 0.8 | 5.8 | 6.6 | 3.3 | 2.7 | 1.6 | 2.9 | 0.4 | 23.7 |
| 2017-18 | OKC | 79 | 36:36 | 43.0 | 40.1 | 82.2 | 0.9 | 4.7 | 5.7 | 3.3 | 2.9 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 0.5 | 21.9 |
| 2018-19 | OKC | 77 | 36:54 | 43.8 | 38.6 | 83.9 | 1.4 | 6.8 | 8.2 | 4.1 | 2.8 | 2.2 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 28.0 |
| 2019-20 | LAC | 48 | 29:34 | 43.9 | 41.2 | 87.6 | 0.5 | 5.2 | 5.7 | 3.9 | 2.4 | 1.4 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 21.5 |
| 2020-21 | LAC | 54 | 33:43 | 46.7 | 41.1 | 86.8 | 0.8 | 5.8 | 6.6 | 5.2 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 3.3 | 0.4 | 23.3 |
| 2021-22 | LAC | 31 | 34:45 | 42.1 | 35.4 | 85.8 | 0.4 | 6.5 | 6.9 | 5.7 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 4.1 | 0.4 | 24.3 |
| 2022-23 | LAC | 56 | 34:38 | 45.7 | 37.1 | 87.1 | 0.8 | 5.3 | 6.1 | 5.1 | 2.8 | 1.5 | 3.1 | 0.4 | 23.8 |
| 2023-24 | LAC | 74 | 33:49 | 47.1 | 41.3 | 90.7 | 0.5 | 4.7 | 5.2 | 3.5 | 2.7 | 1.5 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 22.6 |
| 2024-25 | PHI | 41 | 32:32 | 43.0 | 35.8 | 81.4 | 0.6 | 4.8 | 5.3 | 4.3 | 2.5 | 1.8 | 2.6 | 0.5 | 16.2 |
| 2025-26 | PHI | 27 | 30:31 | 42.4 | 38.2 | 85.5 | 0.5 | 4.6 | 5.1 | 3.7 | 2.2 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 16.0 |
The Sixers will need to rely heavily on Embiid and other key players to navigate this challenging period. This suspension underscores the importance of adhering to the NBA’s anti-doping policies and prioritizing player health, both physical and mental.
