The Philadelphia 76ers received devastating news on January 31, 2026, when the NBA announced that star forward Paul George would be suspended without pay for 25 games for violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program. The nine-time All-Star's absence creates a massive hole in Philadelphia's roster as the team navigates a critical stretch of the season.

George, 35, released a statement to ESPN explaining the circumstances behind the violation. "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. The 25-game suspension indicates this was a first-time violation under the terms of the agreement between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association.

The financial impact of the suspension is substantial. George will forfeit approximately $11.7 million of his $51.7 million salary, roughly $469,692 for each of the 25 games he will miss. His suspension began immediately with the 76ers' game against the New Orleans Pelicans on January 31, and he is expected to be eligible to return on March 25 when Philadelphia hosts the Chicago Bulls. At that point, the Sixers will have just 10 games remaining in the regular season.

Philadelphia entered the suspension stretch at 26-21, holding the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference. The team's record with and without George tells a compelling story: the Sixers are 16-11 when George plays and 10-10 when he does not. The contrast is even more stark on the defensive end, where Philadelphia's defensive rating sits at a robust 110.1 with George on the floor and drops significantly to 114.9 when he is sidelined.

The timing of the suspension creates additional complications with the NBA trade deadline approaching on February 5. The Sixers must now evaluate whether to make moves to compensate for George's absence during their playoff push. While the team has offensive firepower with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey when healthy, the defensive void left by George will be difficult to fill. The team is expected to rely more heavily on Kelly Oubre Jr. and Dominick Barlow to absorb the minutes and production George typically provides.

Despite the challenging news, the Sixers showed resilience in their first game without George, defeating the Pelicans 124-114 on the night the suspension was announced. The victory demonstrated that Philadelphia has the depth to compete, but sustaining success over a 25-game stretch without one of their primary offensive weapons will test the team's resolve.

George's openness about seeking mental health treatment while acknowledging his mistake adds a human element to what is otherwise a standard league disciplinary matter. His willingness to discuss mental health publicly over the years has made him an advocate in that space, and his statement suggests he remains committed to addressing those issues despite the setback.

As the All-Star break approaches and the trade deadline looms, the 76ers face pivotal decisions that will shape their postseason prospects. With only three games separating the second-place Knicks from the sixth-place Sixers in the Eastern Conference standings, every game without George becomes increasingly important in the race for playoff positioning.