RealGM Basketball Wiretap

01 February 2026

• Paul George Suspended 25 Games For Violating Anti-Drug Program

  Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George has been suspended for 25 games for violation the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program. George will begin serving his suspension with Saturday's game between the Sixers and the New Orleans Pelicans.

  George took responsibility for the suspension, telling 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."

  Philadelphia has 35 games remaining this season. That means George could return with 10 games to play in the regular season, starting with the 76ers home game on March 25.

  George has played in 27 of Philadelphia's first 47 games. The veteran forward has averaged 16 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.5 steals in 30.5 minutes per game. George has shot 42.4% from the field, including 38.2% on 6.4 three-point attempts per game.

• Giannis Antetokounmpo Has Wolves, Sixers On List Of Potential Teams

  Giannis Antetokounmpo has had the Minnesota Timberwolves on his list of teams he would be interested in joining dating back to last offseason, sources tell The Stein Line. Antetokounmpo finds the idea of teaming up with Anthony Edwards appealing to him. Antetokounmpo feels similarly about Tyrese Maxey and the Philadelphia 76ers.

  The Wolves are limited in what they can send out in terms of future draft capital and would almost certainly need another team to highly value Jaden McDaniels in order to construct a package attractive enough for the Milwaukee Bucks to take it compared to what other teams could potentially offer.

  Tim Connelly is known as one of the more aggressive executives in the NBA, evidenced by his trades for Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle. Last year, the Wolves attempted to trade for Kevin Durant.

  If the Bucks wait to trade Antetokounmpo until the offseason, the Wolves could gain access to two additional first round picks to offer.

  At this point, sources say the Sixers have not contacted the Bucks about a potential Antetokounmpo trade. Maxey, like Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid, works out with NBA trainer Drew Hanlen.

• Sixers Open To Trading Andre Drummond

  The Philadelphia 76ers are open to trading center Andre Drummond ahead of the February 5 trade deadline. Drummond is on an expiring $5 million contract this season. The emergence of Adem Bona as a legitimate backup center lessens the 76ers need to keep Drummond on the roster behind Joel Embiid.

  Moving Drummond without little to no salary coming back in return would put the Sixers within range of avoiding the luxury tax. It would also open an additional roster spot for Philadelphia, who may want to convert both Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker from their two-way contracts.

  The 76ers could also move veteran guard Eric Gordon, who is on a veteran minimum deal. That would save Philadelphia roughly $2.3 million towards the luxury tax. As with Drummond, it would also open a roster spot.

• NBA Moves Up Start Times For Hawks-Pacers, Hornets-Sixers On Monday

  The NBA continues to adjust their schedule due to severe inclement weather across the United States. This includes start-time changes for two games on Monday, January 26.

  The Atlanta Hawks will now host the Indiana Pacers at 1:30 PM ET.

  The Charlotte Hornets will now host the Philadelphia 76ers at 3:00 PM ET.

  The league postponed two games on Sunday due to weather-related issues. The Denver Nuggets at Memphis Grizzlies game was postponed due to severe weather in the Memphis area. The Dallas Mavericks game at the Milwaukee Bucks was postponed after the Mavs team plane was unable to fly out of Dallas.

• Charles Bassey, Sixers Signing 10 Day Contract

  The Philadelphia 76ers are signing center Charles Bassey to a 10 Day contract. Bassey will give the Sixers some additional depth at center, while also allowing the team to work around eligibility issues for their two-way players.

  Bassey has been playing for the Santa Cruz Warriors of the G League. In 10 G League games, the 6-foot-10 big man has averaged 18.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. Bassey played for the 76ers as a rookie, in addition to other NBA stints with San Antonio Spurs and the Memphis Grizzlies.

  By signing Bassey to a 10 Day contract, the Sixers bring their roster to 15 players on standard contracts. That will allow Philadelphia to continue to have Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker active for NBA games.

  Each team is allowed 90 total active NBA games for their two-way players when they have fewer than 15 players signed to standard contracts. The 76ers reached this limit when Barlow and Walker were both active for the team's game against the New York Knicks on Sunday.

• Deni Avdija, Tyrese Maxey Named NBA's Players Of Week 11

  Deni Avdija and Tyrese Maxey have been named the NBA's Players of the Week for Week 11.

  Avdija averaged 26.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 9.8 assists as the Portland Trail Blazers went 3-1.

  Maxey averaged 34.7 points and 8.7 assists as the Philadelphia 76ers went 3-0.

• MarJon Beauchamp, Sixers Sign Two-Way Contract

  The Philadelphia 76ers have signed MarJon Beauchamp to a Two-Way contract.
  
  This season, Beauchamp has appeared in seven games for the Delaware Blue Coats, averaging 20.7 points on 49.5-percent shooting (44.2% 3FG), 4.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.1 steals. He scored 30 points on 55.5-percent shooting from three, seven rebounds, three assists, and three steals against the Santa Cruz Warriors on December 19.
  
  Beauchamp was the 24th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks. Beauchamp has produced 4.1 points on 43.0-percent shooting, 1.9 rebounds, and 10.9 minutes in 135 career games (12 starts) over three NBA seasons with the Bucks, the LA Clippers, and New York Knicks.

• Sixers Signing MarJon Beauchamp To Two-Way Contract; Waiving Hunter Sallis

  The Philadelphia 76ers are waiving two-way player Hunter Sallis. The Sixers will sign MarJon Beauchamp to a two-way contract to replace Sallis.

  Beauchamp has played in seven games for the Delaware Blue Coats of the G League this season. The 6-foot-7 guard also played for Team USA in two games in the Americas World Cup Qualifiers. Beauchamp has averaged 20.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.1 steals in the G League. He's also shot 49.5% from the field, including 44.2% on 6.1 three-point attempts per game.

  Beauchamp spent the first two-and-a-half years of his career with the Milwaukee Bucks. Last season, Beauchamp played for the LA Clippers and New York Knicks, after being traded from the Bucks.

  Sallis appeared in seven NBA games for the 76ers. In eight G League games, the rookie guard averaged 12.2 points on 38.5% shooting.

• Paul George Says He Didn't See Himself Being 'Washed That Fast'

  Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George scored 35 points on 11-for-21 shooting in Sunday's 120-117 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, continuing his strong play after a difficult 2024-25 season. The nine-time All-Star credited improved health for his resurgence and addressed criticism about being washed up.

  George shot 7-for-9 from 3-point range and added four rebounds against Atlanta. He looked like the player the Sixers expected when they signed him to a four-year deal in the 2024 offseason.

  "Just been healthier," George said after the loss. "Last year was a lot going on. I was just trying to patch up stuff. This year, I'm a lot healthier. I feel like I can play my game. I feel like I can be myself."

  George averaged 22.6 points and shot 47.1% from the floor and 41.3% from deep in his final season with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2023-24. He earned All-Star honors that year before his production declined significantly during his first season in Philadelphia, where he played just 41 games.

  The 16-year veteran faced harsh criticism on social media about being past his prime. George acknowledged the outside noise but rejected the notion that his best days were behind him.

  "I mean, prior to coming here, I was coming off one of my most efficient seasons," George explained. "All-Star that year. I didn't see myself being washed that fast, but I knew. I knew that this league is about what you can do now, and they tend to forget everything that I have done. So, it was a bit of motivation going into the summer to just get healthy and kind of let everything else take care of itself."

  George explained the mental toll of not meeting expectations while dealing with physical limitations last season. He had high expectations for himself and from teammates in his first year with the organization.

  "Oh, my God. I mean, it was rough, man," George said of 2024-25. "It was brutal. And when you play for Philly, it's brutal, man. I had an expectation coming into the year, and for me, me alone, like not even the noise outside and whatever people said, you know? It was just me, the expectation I had, and my first year playing with these guys, and the expectation they had of me, and it was just a lot that physically, I just couldn't do."

  "Mentally, man, it broke me down," George continued. "It was rough and hard times just because it was like, 'Man, I know what I'm capable of, but my body's just not allowing it.' So it was a rough one last year."

  George's season ended on March 3, giving him extended time to focus on his body. He took only three weeks off during the entire offseason while working on his conditioning and strength.

  "I mean, through that time all the way leading up to opening night, I mean, I might have took off three weeks that whole time span," George stated. "I probably took off three weeks here and there through almost a whole year. So, that was a lot of time for me to just work on my body. It was around the clock every day. Even on vacation, I'm lifting, I'm working out. Wherever I was at, I was working out."

  George acknowledged he is not yet at 100% but feels stronger and more capable of playing his style. His body has responded to the work he put in during the extended break.

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