Paul George’s 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy has put the league in hot water. George was reportedly taking medication related to mental health issues and not any performance enhancing substance, and so his suspension has irked a section of the fanbase. Despite the backlash, the verdict stands, creating a difficult situation for the franchise in a crucial stretch of the season.
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The Philadelphia 76ers are in the playoff mix in the Eastern Conference. At 27-21, they sit sixth in the standings, just a game-and-a-half clear of the play-in tournament. Without George, however, it may get difficult for them to avoid a slide.
When Sixers head coach Nick Nurse addressed the suspension on Tuesday, he shed light on some of the circumstances surrounding the ruling. He also spoke about what it could mean for George’s day-to-day availability.
“He’s obviously allowed around the team facilities, practices, shootarounds, all that kind of stuff. He was at the shootaround this morning. We want to keep him as engaged as we can on the basketball side,” Nurse told the 76ers media.
That’s smart from the Sixers, given that George’s suspension will be lifted before the end of the season. If they are still in a playoff spot, he will be counted on to be the tertiary scorer behind Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. George was averaging 16 points per game in 27 starts before the suspension.
Sixers coach Nick Nurse on Paul George’s 25-game suspension pic.twitter.com/oM7xP2Zhhh
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) February 3, 2026
The question now is, who will make up for George’s scoring in the meantime? Some believe Quentin Grimes could be in line for an expanded role. Nurse spoke at length about him during his interview.
“We kind of know his role. He’s an off-the-bench scorer. You hear me talk a lot about how we need his three-point shooting,” he said of Grimes. “That’s one thing that’s gone down in the last 10 games. I think he’s averaging 5.5 attempts a game, but he’s only averaging around 3 in the last 10. I’d like more than that, I’d like more than the 5.5,” said Nurse.
Grimes was moved to the 76ers from the Dallas Mavericks last season, shortly after Dallas traded away Luka Doncic. It was another questionable move by the Mavericks that largely flew under the radar. Since arriving in Philadelphia, Grimes has developed into a reliable scorer and a quality rotation player.
It will be interesting to see if the Sixers can stay afloat while George is sidelined. The schedule isn’t overly daunting in terms of opponent quality. But the team will face four separate road trips of two or more back-to-back games during that stretch. That’s where the absence of a veteran like George could be felt most.
Ultimately, Grimes and the rest of the supporting cast will need to step up in George’s absence. If not, Embiid will have to continue playing at an MVP level. He has looked excellent lately, but his injury history lingers as a concern.
Right now, the Sixers feel like a house of cards. The structure is holding for the moment, but one wrong move could bring everything crashing down. They’ll need to tread carefully and possibly consider a trade to reinforce the roster before that happens.
