Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George was handed a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA Anti-Drug Program, the league announced, and he will pay a significant financial penalty.
George’s suspension starts on Saturday, January 31, and will last more than a month. He has revealed that he got treatment for his mental health and took “an improper medication," leading to him failing the drug test.
While the Sixers will lose a starter from the lineup, George will also miss games, costing him $11.7 million in salary due to his suspension, according to Spotrac.
The formula, due to George missing more than 20 games, is taking “1/110th of the player’s salary, times however many games he will miss,” Spotrac explained.
George will return on March 25 unless he picks up an injury, with only 10 games left in the season. If he stays healthy for the rest of the year, he will have played 37 games, a disappointing figure given that he played only 41 with Philadelphia in his first season.
The Sixers still have George on the books for another two years, with $110 million in salary remaining. Throughout his career, George has been one of the biggest earners in the league, meaning he should be able to lose part of his salary without a worry in the world.
What did Paul George say about his suspension?
George released a statement about his suspension after the news broke, apologizing to the fans and the team for his absence.
"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," the statement read.
"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."
Newsweek