As Paul George nears a return from his 25-game suspension following a violation of the NBA’s anti-drug program, there still exists a level of vagueness behind the actual reason for his suspension. The NBA simply stated that the suspension was classified as a first-time offense under the collective bargaining agreement and did not disclose the specific substance he was found taking.
Now, Bill Simmons and Wosny Lambre have given some clarity on The Bill Simmons podcast, with both suggesting that they were well aware of what it was that George had taken.
“Paul George is perpetually unavailable, when he’s not injured, he’s getting suspended for, we don’t know what. I think I know what the guy was suspended for,” Lambre initially said, before Simmons claimed that he had “some guesses” about what it was.
Lambre went on to claim that they could only pretend that they did not know what the substance was.
“Well, we know what it was, I think,” Simmons said, eventually deciding not to reveal the substance in question.
George himself had stated post the suspension that he had taken “improper medication” for an issue about mental health, claiming that he wanted to take the time to put his body and mind in the best possible condition for his return.
“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 actions and apologize to the Sixers organization, my teammates, and the Philly fans for my poor decision-making during this process,” the 76ers forward said.
George is eligible to return on March 25 against the Chicago Bulls, leaving approximately 10 regular-season games before the playoffs. The suspension also came with a fine of approximately $11.7 million, with George having already missed 32 games this season up to that point.
They have still managed to maintain playoff hopes this campaign with a 38-30 record, which is good for ninth in the Eastern Conference currently.
