Paul George and the Philadelphia 76ers received shocking news this week. The veteran multi-time All-Star learned that he violated the NBA's anti-drug program, resulting in a suspension.
Just like that, George's season goes off the rails as he's forced to miss nearly two months of action.
While the Sixers are understandably disappointed in the situation, they are supportive of their veteran teammate. Following Saturday's game between the Sixers and the Pelicans, Philadelphia All-Star Tyrese Maxey made his feelings clear on the decision.
"First of all, we stand with Paul," Maxey told reporters. "We appreciate him."
Maxey went on to explain that the NBA's decision prompted him to reach out to some of the younger guys on the team, telling them to be ready to step up with a bigger role now that George is going to be off the court for some time.
76ers head coach Nick Nurse described the situation as a disappointment. While the initial reaction was a "gut punch," as the coach called it, he kept the coaching hat on. The Sixers need to instill a next-man-up mentality.
"I've got to lead the charge here. We got to pull our socks up a little tighter and tie our shoes. We got to get fighting, and we got to get to work,” Nurse told reporters. “Those guys that have been playing this year, there’s a bunch of them. We’ve got to figure out who’s going to replace some of the things he does positionally, defensively, and shots, and all that kind of stuff. Think there are a number of guys there to do it. That’s where we are."
Not long after the NBA dropped its official announcement regarding George, the veteran forward sent an official statement to ESPN. There was no denial-just regret and an explanation.
"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 explained.
"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."
George is in the midst of his second season with the 76ers. After missing a chunk of games early on, George played in 27 matchups from mid-November until late January. He was averaging 16.0 points while shooting 38 percent from three. Beyond scoring, George came down with 5.1 rebounds and produced 3.7 assists per game.
The loss of George on both ends of the floor will be big for the Sixers, but they understand he won't be returning until closer to their possible playoff run. He'll certainly have a role when he returns; they just have to find a way to continue building their case to make the postseason after improving to 27-21 with a 124-114 win over the Pelicans on Saturday night.
Newsweek