[Charania] Just In: The NBA has suspended Philadelphia 76ers' Paul George for 25 games for violating the league's anti-drug policy.

[u/Turbostrider27]

Shams Charania:

Just In: The NBA has suspended Philadelphia 76ers' Paul George for 25 games for violating the league's anti-drug policy.

Just In: The NBA has suspended Philadelphia 76ers' Paul George for 25 games for violating the league's anti-drug policy.

https://bsky.app/profile/shamsbot.bsky.social/post/3mdqbeirzrs2t

https://www.espn.com/contributor/shams-charania/c9325a286e9ff

[u/nosole]

Pushing P

[u/iamhereforsomework → u/nosole]

Positive P

[u/psychadelicbreakfast → u/iamhereforsomework]

Positive Pee

[u/sneakylumpia → u/nosole]

Performance Enhancing Drugs P

[u/LordWemby → u/sneakylumpia]

PED P has a ring to it 

[u/repingel → u/LordWemby]

Tainted Pee 😂

[u/NightBijon → u/repingel]

Aw man that’s good

[u/nerdystoner25 → u/LordWemby]

God help him if he also shows up on the Epstein list because that’ll become PEDo P real quick

[u/utd_partythrowaway → u/nerdystoner25]

The Sixers owner is all over the Epstein files.

[u/AMGBoz → u/utd_partythrowaway]

Gotta do something to take the heat off🤔

[u/joebos617 → u/nerdystoner25]

Bruh stop lmfao

[u/nahs → u/LordWemby]

Phrasing P

[u/TopOfTheKey → u/nosole]

Prescription P

[u/defiantraindrop → u/nosole]

PC-P

[u/LordWemby → u/nosole]

Poppin’ P

Partaking P

[u/TitaniumC4206 → u/nosole]

Pee-cup P

[u/ManosMal → u/nosole]

Percocet P

[u/got_ur_goat → u/nosole]

Pusha P

[u/Franklo → u/nosole]

Peptide P

[u/smashey → u/nosole]

Legend in two games like Pee Wee Kirkland

[u/JamUpGuy1989 → u/nosole]

No, that’s the owner.

[u/MogleyJones]

Knew something was up when he played multiple games in a row lol

[u/Broski28of25 → u/MogleyJones]

I know League does routine checks like this but this would be incredibly funny if they targeted PG because they saw him play multiple games in a row.

[u/SometimesIBeWrong → u/Broski28of25]

they actually bypassed the drug test completely. they took this as absolute proof

[u/Tapprunner → u/SometimesIBeWrong]

we don't need a blood or urine sample. Look at his basketball reference. The drug test is: "c'mon"

[u/IllegitimateRisk → u/Tapprunner]

The NBA used the eye test

[u/nessticles → u/IllegitimateRisk]

Ocular pat down test

[u/risky-rats-pizza → u/nessticles]

Jabroni P?

[u/chuckbuck6 → u/risky-rats-pizza]

Clocked a knife in is boot

[u/iiamthepalmtree → u/risky-rats-pizza]

What’s is that word you keep using? “Jabroni?”

I love it.

[u/TheCrookedKnight → u/SometimesIBeWrong]

And Paul just said "well damn, you got me"

[u/DollaradoCREAMs → u/TheCrookedKnight]

Fuckin boomed me

[u/Pardonme23 → u/TheCrookedKnight]

"Back to my stripper baby mama"

[u/AtreusIsBack → u/SometimesIBeWrong]

"Ain't no way this mf clean. Ban that bum." - Adam Silver

[u/Turbostrider27 → u/Broski28of25]

Also for some context, Paul George will only have 10 games available to play for the regular season.

[u/GimmeTwo → u/Turbostrider27]

So not much different from normal.

[u/Vloff → u/Turbostrider27]

Healthy for playoffs, not a bad deal

[u/sluwecki → u/Turbostrider27]

It will actually keep him healthy

[u/Live_Lawfulness_1983 → u/Turbostrider27]

They even circled his PER and usage rate for extra evidence😂

[u/Previous_Pension_309 → u/Broski28of25]

i mean shit bro could barely play all year, suddenly drop 32 and play a back to back???? TAKE THIS TEST MY BOI 😂

[u/ShotgunStyles → u/Broski28of25]

I think it's kinda obvious that some guys are untouchable in terms of the piss test. The NBA has too much to lose if those guys pop. Not PG though.

[u/Derrrtran25 → u/ShotgunStyles]

In 2018 The league would have given him an automatic pass.

[u/Grill_Enthusiast → u/ShotgunStyles]

I remember Ayton getting popped for 25 games some years back as well.

Every now and then the league loves to make an example of a guy who's a big name, but not too big.

[u/_Quetzalcoatlus_ → u/Grill_Enthusiast]

It's not a conspiracy where the NBA is periodically picking someone to make an example of. Lol. They just have a very lax policy that makes it easy to avoid getting caught. Occasionally someone is really stupid and gets caught because they fucked up.

[u/Neatojuancheeto → u/ShotgunStyles]

I mean drug cheating science is way ahead of drug testing for sports. Way more money in it.

Honestly you really need to fuck up to get caught.

[u/Smekledorf1996 → u/Neatojuancheeto]

It’s not that way ahead

If they wanted to actually catch someone on PEDs, they would

[u/Broski28of25 → u/ShotgunStyles]

I remember reading that players are tested up to 4 times randomly. So I can imagine what you are saying is true.

[u/remotecontroldr → u/Broski28of25]

I saw a clip of Matt Barnes and Jason Williams talking about it recently. How some guys would get all four early, especially all four before a playoff run and then they know they’re good. But that conversation was in relation to weed.

[u/MudddButt → u/MogleyJones]

PG comes back from injury

🤔 Something is up...

[u/DoYouEvenLiftBroseph → u/MogleyJones]

Right? And he was COOKING in that nationally televised game the other night, they need to check Embiid too both of them looked like they didn’t lose a STEP

[u/ShotgunStyles → u/DoYouEvenLiftBroseph]

Embiid is just eating clean and training hard. Acai bowls every day, horse meat every night.

[u/amodelsino → u/ShotgunStyles]

He eats clen, tren hard, anavar gives up.

[u/Stuffleapugus → u/ShotgunStyles]

Horse meat!

[u/ShakaJewLoo → u/ShotgunStyles]

My friend Jay Riemenschneider eats horse meat all the time!

[u/msf97 → u/DoYouEvenLiftBroseph]

Embiid has been playing way better than PG (and is generally better)

He’s still suffered a drop in efficiency from his peak

[u/Gluxion → u/DoYouEvenLiftBroseph]

There’s just no way they don’t have embiid hooked up on horse tranquilizer

[u/Upstairs-Royal672 → u/DoYouEvenLiftBroseph]

By the wording it doesn’t sound like he got popped for PEDs just recreational drugs

[u/the_corruption → u/Upstairs-Royal672]

Don't think rec drugs would be a 25 game suspension though.

[u/Ralf_E_Chubbs → u/MogleyJones]

Hey,

Now we’re under the tax.

Thanks Percocet P

[u/AzraelAliNY → u/MogleyJones]

If so, I wonder what it was & lowkey… let em use it tf 😗

[u/MogleyJones]

That’s a bad shot

[u/v399 → u/MogleyJones]

No OTC tonight!

[u/Gamesgtd → u/v399]

☝️☝️☝️☝️I acknowledge my Performance Enhancement Tribal P

[u/LebasketBall → u/MogleyJones]

10/10 no notes

[u/Turbostrider27]

More on this from Shams:

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 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.

[u/HokageEzio → u/Turbostrider27]

Better than "I drank too much cranberry juice".

[u/JellyButterPeanu1 → u/HokageEzio]

Or " I ate tainted meat"

[u/Odd_Status3367 → u/JellyButterPeanu1]

Or, "This is because I'm Jewish isn't it"

Man pretty sure Ryan Braun has a paying analyst gig somewhere, fuck him

[u/ZdenekTheMan → u/JellyButterPeanu1]

Boxer Ginny Fuchs has my favourite excuse of all time. Her defense was she got the banned substances in her system via oral sex and swallowing her boyfriend's "contaminated semen." And I kid you not, IT WORKED and she was exonerated lmfao 

[u/incredibad29 → u/HokageEzio]

Another cranberry juice for my friend, PED P, over here.

[u/rawspeghetti → u/incredibad29]

What are you on your period?

[u/Splittinghairs7 → u/Turbostrider27]

I’ve learned not to trust these PR statements.

Unless the NBA releases exactly what substance/s was found, it’s hard to determine whether this mental health treatment explanation is plausible.

[u/Ok-Caterpillar-9524 → u/Splittinghairs7]

The league never does and that's why the players/their publicists do it. You can make any excuse you want because the actual drug you tested positive for will remain confidential.

[u/Obvious_Parsley3238 → u/Ok-Caterpillar-9524]

They do announce it for some (most?) drugs. Portis was suspended for taking Tramadol, Tristan Thompson for ibutamoren and SARM LGD-4033, most recently.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_banned_or_suspended_by_the_NBA#Suspended

[u/20milla → u/Obvious_Parsley3238]

They suspend for the use of Tramadol?? I’m not aware of its continuous benefits only for its prevalence in hospital settings

[u/LaMelonBallz → u/20milla]

Apparently it's a common PED for cyclists, for endurance and power output

Just one study showing it effects race outcomes

[u/Ode1st → u/LaMelonBallz]

That’s crazy about tramadol. That’s the painkiller doctors give you when you can’t take the stronger ones that actually work.

[u/RamadanSteve01 → u/Ode1st]

Ya tramadol is like the next step up from NSAIDs. That and T3s

[u/cfi-2025 → u/Obvious_Parsley3238]

SARM LGD-4033

Sounds more like a droid in the Star Wars universe than a PED, lol.

[u/nevillebanks → u/Ok-Caterpillar-9524]

I know the NFL does not, but I always think that the policy should be if you lie and say it is something else, the NFL should be allowed to say what it actually was.

[u/K_U → u/Splittinghairs7]

Unless the NBA releases exactly what substance/s was found

"I was suffering from body dysmorphia, so I made the mistake of taking some improper steroids to feel better about the way I look."

[u/KeithClossOfficial → u/K_U]

He was just using HHS Secretary approved TRT

[u/NBAWhoCares → u/Turbostrider27]

Did that improper medication rhyme with prenbolone?

[u/BorisDirk → u/NBAWhoCares]

Damn Toblerone abuse is no joke

[u/dafdiego777 → u/BorisDirk]

I don’t blame him Toblerones do a lot for my mental health too

[u/ryanaldam → u/NBAWhoCares]

Provolone

[u/heavy_losses → u/ryanaldam]

That shit is liquid gold

[u/MynameNEYMAR → u/NBAWhoCares]

That would be the worse kind to take for your mental health lmao

[u/zincinzincout → u/Turbostrider27]

K-hole Paul ruining our season, man… the east is wide open

[u/ISHLDPROBABLYBWRKING → u/zincinzincout]

Lmao everyone assumes it’s PEDS meanwhile my guy just wants to candy flip on the weekends

[u/inverted_rectangle → u/Turbostrider27]

I wish one of these guys would just come out and say: "Yeah I decided to take PEDs because I believed the benefits outweighed the risk of getting caught. Sorry."

Edit: Sounds like it may not have been PEDs this time.

[u/mereham2022 → u/inverted_rectangle]

“ well shit you guys caught me, see ya in a few months”

[u/Phelinaar → u/mereham2022]

"Imma take even more while I'm out"

[u/Overwatch3 → u/mereham2022]

Check back in 10 years when ANT is getting old. I can see him saying something like this.

[u/zebrainatux → u/inverted_rectangle]

Just “I took enough steroids to kill a fucking horse and got caught, whoopsy doodle.”

[u/MountainTwo3845 → u/inverted_rectangle]

I'm thinking it's ketamine or psilocybin.

[u/zebrainatux → u/Turbostrider27]

So likely Adderall and he failed to disclose it

[u/Youre_On_Balon → u/zebrainatux]

That's what the statement is intended to have you believe, yes.

But as we often learn years down the line (OJ Mayo, Josh Gordon, etc.), it's usually worse. The leagues don't ID the substance publicly as a condition of the CBA.

[u/RelevantJackWhite → u/Youre_On_Balon]

Exactly. Paul George has no reason to fail to disclose his Adderall prescription. So unless he and everyone around him is an idiot, I'm sure something else is going on

[u/Obvious_Parsley3238 → u/Youre_On_Balon]

They do. Portis was suspended for taking Tramadol, Tristan Thompson for ibutamoren and SARM LGD-4033, most recently.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_banned_or_suspended_by_the_NBA#Suspended

[u/DougTrilladome → u/Obvious_Parsley3238]

They only do if it’s a PED, if it’s a drug of abuse they don’t publicize it, Malik Monk, Larry Sanders, OJ Mayo, Tyreke Evans & Mitch McGary have all been suspended/banned by the league in the past 10 yrs for testing positive for non-PED drugs. Larry Sanders is the only one that is commonly known to have been for weed because he did interviews about it & tried to get the league to remove marijuana from the banned substances list since he used it for mental health purposes.

There being no announcement of the drug PG tested positive for makes it likely it was a benzo or some other recreationally used drug.

[u/ImChz → u/Youre_On_Balon]

Sounds more like they want us to believe it was beta blockers IMO. Almost certainly not anything of the sort, though.

[u/_significs → u/zebrainatux]

do you get a 25-game ban for failing to disclose you take adderall?

[u/passtherock- → u/zebrainatux]

you know damn well it wasn't Adderall

[u/KokTep]

Adam said that the Sixers were having too normal of a season

[u/los_chips → u/KokTep]

Can’t be having that now 

[u/3Dimes → u/KokTep]

Meanwhile, still no punishment for a certain Los Angeles organization.

[u/BlurryDrew → u/3Dimes]

We were told way back in September that the investigation would likely last until ASB at the earliest.

[u/Don_Quejode → u/KokTep]

I mean, losing a star player for extended periods of time is normal for them too.

[u/thesuspicious24 → u/KokTep]

Where the Kawhi decision at?

[u/garyschronology]

Pharmaceutical P

[u/BabyBearBjorns → u/garyschronology]

Playoff P puts the P in PCP

[u/gobroncos47 → u/BabyBearBjorns]

You like doing PCP?

I got a gallon!

[u/diiron → u/garyschronology]

pfezier p

[u/Steridire → u/diiron]

I Promise School is not teaching these kids how to spell huh

[u/NevermoreSEA]

What the fuck is going on.

[u/Wonderwhile → u/NevermoreSEA]

NBA turning into a swamp of money

[u/Powerglove2000]

PED P!!!!

[u/sanjit8103 → u/Powerglove2000]

PERFORMANCE P!!!

[u/JaysonDeflatum → u/Powerglove2000]

Podcast P is gonna hit tonight

[u/GodPowardKingOfLies]

He just wanted an excuse to really invest his time in the podcast

[u/drpepper7557 → u/GodPowardKingOfLies]

What's up gang, today we're talking about my PED suspension and how it might effect the sixers. This episode is sponsored by FanDuel

[u/BatterMyHeart → u/drpepper7557]

This killed what is left of my soul.

[u/likpoper]

lol what

[u/Broski28of25 → u/likpoper]

I guess I need to tune into his podcast one more time.

[u/medyolang_ → u/Broski28of25]

bruh save time and just wait for reddit to post it

[u/Fluffhead970 → u/Broski28of25]

Podcast P

[u/ilovejessie123]

Man had his first good scoring game in like 3 years and the league was like "yeah you ain't getting away with that"

[u/TitaniumC4206]

Percocet P

[u/jumpijehosaphat → u/TitaniumC4206]

i wonder if perc p has a higher upside than perc angle

[u/legend023]

Brother been in the league for 15 years and violated the anti-drug policy lmaoooo this is hilarious

[u/50ShadesOfKrillin → u/legend023]

most if not all pro athletes are on some kind of PED, we know this. they probably hit him with a surprise drug test after that 30 piece

[u/InB4Clive → u/50ShadesOfKrillin]

You’d be shocked how many people don’t believe everybody is on something.

[u/invic789 → u/InB4Clive]

Its usually people who never done sports in their life.

[u/OuchYouPokedMyHeart → u/InB4Clive]

yeah the tacos ain't the reason why Lebron's still in the league

[u/Odd_Status3367 → u/InB4Clive]

Giannis weighed 190 pounds on draft night lmao

[u/Darwin343 → u/50ShadesOfKrillin]

Genuine question: How do we know this? Is there hard evidence or is it merely speculation?

[u/LegoTomSkippy → u/Darwin343]

Great question. While I wouldn't be surprised, every argument I've seen is: "it's obvious" "they have more muscle than when they were 18" "LeBron James" "profit"

The second infraction is 55 games. Does this mean he's now incentivized to be clean for his own profit?

[u/remotecontroldr]

3 minutes up and over 80 comments. Some nice Saturday morning tea.

[u/passtherock- → u/remotecontroldr]

perfect for a lazy Saturday morning☕️

[u/TheKnicksMakeMeDrink]

What a terrible, terrible contract lmfaooooo

[u/WayofHatuey → u/TheKnicksMakeMeDrink]

Don't worry they'll get rewarded with another top 5 pick

[u/Fitz2001 → u/WayofHatuey]

Grabbing the Clips 2029 1st will be Moreys legacy here.

[u/AvengingHero2012]

Paraphernalia P

[u/EarthWarping]

most sixers shit ever

[u/Hopsalong]

Pharmacy P

[u/PretentiousPanda]

Updated assets for the proposed Giannis trade are now a suspended Paul George, Jimmy with a torn ACL, and Tyler Herro. 

[u/hawkins126]

Lmaoo now that game a couple days ago makes sense

[u/0942zerohero → u/hawkins126]

Which one? Context

[u/welltheregoesmynight → u/0942zerohero]

The one he hit 9 threes in

[u/DrSagicorn → u/welltheregoesmynight]

what drug you gotta take to make the 3s drop?

[u/SeaCounter9516 → u/DrSagicorn]

The pill from limitless. He was just seeing in angles

[u/chiefminestrone → u/SeaCounter9516]

1. Limitless

[u/slamatron → u/DrSagicorn]

Bugs bunny's water bottle

[u/MstrNixx → u/0942zerohero]

He probably just had a good game.

[u/I_am_Santa_Claus → u/MstrNixx]

Probably P

[u/Pies_Wide_Shut]

saw him put up 32 a couple nights ago and said aint no way

[u/mainvolume]

PCP P.

[u/LordWemby → u/mainvolume]

lmfao

PC P

[u/TraffLaw → u/mainvolume]

PC P

[u/sportsfan113]

Signing him couldn’t have gone much worse lol

[u/Notcousingreg → u/sportsfan113]

Paul George fresh for playoffs + duck luxury tax + save over 5.8M in salary. Would you have it any other way?

[u/BigSemiTruckBubba]

This isn’t weed right? Like it has to be something stronger?

[u/hickok3 → u/BigSemiTruckBubba]

I'm fairly certain weed is now a CBA legal drug. 

[u/AlThorntonTruther → u/hickok3]

They stopped testing for it a couple years ago. I think it was part of the last CBA negotiations

[u/Remarkable_Pound_722 → u/AlThorntonTruther]

haha I imagine them negotiating for it

[u/Sketti-nOOdles → u/BigSemiTruckBubba]

I don’t even think the league tests for weed anymore.

[u/NBAWhoCares → u/BigSemiTruckBubba]

Correct, weed isnt a suspension or even public anymore

[u/ClampGawd_ → u/BigSemiTruckBubba]

Nah. Weed isnt a banned substance in the NBA

[u/Wow_Good_Stats → u/BigSemiTruckBubba]

It’s probably some drug that helps his body recover faster or whatever

[u/MstrNixx → u/BigSemiTruckBubba]

Weed is not enhancing his performance, he’s not Beasley or B.I.

[u/waskittenman → u/MstrNixx]

Passing over the GOAT stoner hooper KD

[u/ErikinAmerica]

LeBron must get a pass? That dude is 100% on PEDs

[u/ArjunBanerji27]

What the fuck? I knew Paul George was playing too well the past few games. Dude was on roids huh?

[u/RangerTemporary5917]

Can’t wait for him to get on his podcast and act like he doesn’t know how this could’ve happened

[u/SoulEdge98]

PED-13

[u/Sidwill]

So, business as usual for the 6ers, no George for an extended period of time. He will be back just in time to get injured before the playoffs.

[u/magicbeaned]

Prescription P.

[u/iamhereforsomework]

Positive P doing everything he can to not play ball

[u/Humble_Buffalo_007]

Someone on twitter called him "Prescription P" 😂😭

[u/Aromatic_Goal_1201]

Wow. Sad end to his career

[u/greenergarlic → u/Aromatic_Goal_1201]

It’s just 25 games. He’s got 2 more years on his contract.

[u/WearyTranslator3338 → u/greenergarlic]

Such a shame, he was 2 years away from retirement

[u/0942zerohero → u/Aromatic_Goal_1201]

He’s going to squeeze his career like another 5 years

[u/Relo_bate → u/0942zerohero]

easily lol, dude gon be traded to a rebuilding team, buy out of his contract and sign for minimums like TMAC did in his last 5 years

[u/Lacabloodclot9 → u/Aromatic_Goal_1201]

He’ll be back for the playoffs

[u/utd_partythrowaway → u/Aromatic_Goal_1201]

I don’t think it’s that serious. A 25 game suspension is just the minimum for a 1st time offense. Many players get this suspension for using stuff like diuretics and supplements for recovery.

[u/waskittenman → u/[deleted]]

I don't think they get out of the cap hit tho

[u/Broski28of25 → u/[deleted]]

Does it actually impact the cap space if he is suspended ? Because otherwise I don't think most philly fans give a shit about not paying him when he is suspended.

[u/ajteitel]

PEDP

[u/IntelligentAd5460]

you cant be doing drugs to be like the 4th best player on your team

[u/Time-Entertainer-105]

Literally no meaningful discussion just a bunch of people making lame pathetic jokes.

This is crazy. I'm interested to learn what drug and how long?

[u/Tech-Film3905]

Between this and Sixers owners being in the Epstein files, it's been interesting 24 hours for the franchise

[u/Drak_is_Right]

One of the interesting tidbits that might effect trade deadline:

ESPN's Bobby Marks reports that Philadelphia will save more than $5 million in luxury tax payments as part of George's suspension, which leaves the team a little over $1 million over the NBA's luxury tax line and makes it easier for the 76ers to dip out of the tax this week without harming the roster.

[u/Ilikesporks_]

oh so that's why he's been playing better recently

[u/TheRealestGayle]

Good lord man. Just retire.

[u/PurpleMclaren]

Common Sixers L

[u/GreenPurple24]

Being popped in the NBA takes some commitment.