How Much Money Will Paul George Lose from Suspension? Impact on 76ers' Salary Cap for Trade Revealed
Serving a 25-game suspension will leave Paul George's wallet quite a bit lighter.
The NBA announced Saturday the Philadelphia 76ers violated the league's anti-drug program. ESPN's Tim Bontemps noted the ban will cost him a total of more than $11.7 million. The Sixers, meanwhile, get some luxury tax relief.
In a statement to Shams Charania of ESPN, George cited an "improper medication" as the substance that was flagged.
"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," he said. "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."
This adds to an already frustrating season for the 35-year-old. He has been limited to 27 appearances and averaged 16.0 points per game.
This is a setback for Philly, too, as it tries to maintain a top-six position in the Eastern Conference. The Sixers (27-21) after 1.5 games up on the Orlando Magic in the race to avoid the Play-In Tournament.
While George's suspension creates another roster spot for the time being, president of basketball operations Daryl Morey isn't going to find a free agent who can match George's value on the court.
PHLY Sports' Kyle Neubeck reported the 76ers are making rookie guard VJ Edgecombe off-limits in any trade, even one for a star as big as the Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Perhaps George's suspension will spur Morey to be aggressive prior to Thursday's trade deadline and make a smaller move to strengthen the supporting cast around Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
