Paul George minutes restriction suspension return Philadelphia 76ers vs Chicago Bulls game
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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 16: Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball during a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 16, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The Philadelphia 76ers will get back 35-year-old wing Paul George for their upcoming game against the Chicago Bulls, as he has now finished a 25-game suspension handed down by the NBA for violating the league’s drug policy.
George last played in late January, and as he clearly isn’t the same player he was at an earlier point in his career, and as he worked back from a nearly two-month-long absence, there were initial questions about whether he would return to the 76ers on a minutes restriction.
However, in the lead-up to Philadelphia’s Wednesday night game against Chicago, the team decided on any potential minutes restriction for George in his late-season return.
Is Paul George On A Minutes Restriction Tonight for Sixers vs Bulls?
Despite not playing in 25 games, the 76ers announced that George will not be on a minutes restriction and be slotted back into the starting lineup for his first game back, as reported by Tony Jones of The Athletic.
NBA Base
Paul George is expected to start tonight for the 76ers and will NOT be on a minutes restriction, per @Tjonesonthenba
“George will immediately be inserted into Philadelphia’s starting lineup, according to coach Nick Nurse. He won’t be subjected to a minutes restriction,” Jones wrote. “The Sixers need George, and they need him badly. He’s going to play right away.”
George is averaging 16 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists on 42.4% shooting on 30.5 minutes in 27 games this season.
He already missed a major stretch earlier in the year with a knee injury, but doesn’t have an injury designation against the Bulls.
Still, playing roughly 30 minutes in his first game back against a fast-paced team like Chicago could be risky. George has suffered several serious injuries over the past few years, and while the Sixers need him at a crucial point of their season, they also don’t want to jeopardize his status for a potential playoff run.
Philadelphia is 39-33 and seventh in the Eastern Conference standings, with the ability to either stay in the Play-In Tournament, or jump up for a top-six seed in their final ten games.
The 76ers will be without Tyrese Maxey (finger) and Kelly Oubre Jr. (elbow) for the game. Joel Embiid (oblique) and Quentin Grimes (illness) are listed as questionable, while George is available to play.
George On Suspension Return Before 76ers vs Bulls Game
On January 31, Shams Charania reported that the NBA had suspended George 25 games for violating the league’s anti-drug policy.
Statement from 76ers' Paul George to ESPN: “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. I take full responsibility for my… https://t.co/0CpqjNToue
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 31, 2026
Details are still sketchy on what activities George was involved in that led to the 25-game suspension, but speaking at a recent press conference, the forward attempted to repent for his mistake.
George blamed his mental health struggles for the violation and subsequent suspension, but didn’t get into specifics as to what he did or took to receive the punishment.
“I’ve said it throughout my career, dealing with mental health, I’m no superhero,” George said, per the Associated Press. “I’m human, and I made a mistake in that moment.”
“Being a pro athlete takes a toll on you,” he added. “My body wasn’t where I wanted it to be. The expectations to perform because of my body not being where it needed to be, obviously, I’m going to have an expectation for myself. That’s what led to a poor decision at the time.”
George is in the second season of a four-year, $211 million contract he signed with the 76ers in 2024.
He isn’t the same player that was an MVP candidate during his time with the Oklahoma City Thunder, but he remains a key part of Philadelphia’s roster, and as Nurse said, they’ll need him for the rest of the year.