8:28pm: The NBA has officially announced the suspension, per a release.
7:58pm: Suns center Deandre Ayton is facing a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s Anti-Drug policy with a positive test for a diuretic, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
In a series of follow-up tweets, Woj adds that the NBPA is already preparing an arbitration case in an effort to reduce or rescind the suspension based on a belief that the positive test falls under the CBA provision of “unintentional ingestion.” Support for that belief lies partly in a follow-up test showing no traces of any other banned substances (links here).
In a statement (per Woj), Ayton says:
“I want to apologize to my family, the entire Suns organization, my teammates, partners, our fans and the Phoenix community. This was an unintentional mistake and unfortunately I put something in my body that I was completely unaware of.”
“I do understand the unfortunate impact that this has on so many others, and for that I am deeply sorry. I’m extremely disappointed that I’ve let my team down. I will continue to work with the NBPA to go through arbitration and am hopeful of a positive resolution.”
Bobby Marks of ESPN adds that Ayton’s suspension will cost him about $2.17MM and that Phoenix will be permitted to add a 16th player to their roster after their game against Memphis on November 2.
Stay off the weeee-duh!!!
Why?
Because you get suspended for 25 games and lose a s*** ton of money if you don’t
oh no, I guess the suns won’t make the playoffs
Screw that let the man smoke pot
Well I put diuretics in my system every day but Ayton is pretty young to have hypertension. Frankly his defense could use more tension not less. More foot movement would be good.
(Diuretics are used to flush your system of something a drug test would find.) Again, his D suggests cannabis more likely than amphetimines (or salt).
Maybe he was taking Midol?
Luka Doncic
Atlanta is the one who traded him, lay off the Kings and Suns.
Nope. Both passed on him. Now they get to watch him dominate the league.
Probably the only difference is if he smoked marijuana, I think if he’s clearly saying that he didn’t take them for other purposes.
If he is going to honestly tell them that he did not smoke weed then likely the suspension gets removed but hopefully before the suspension because what happens if the penalization takes place before the Suns’ org. and Ayton weren’t wrong?
peace, hopper15, “it’s still a good post”
Mavs are looking pretty good for that decision. Kid is a stud.
After the Suns looked good in the first game of the season this happens hahah. Rubio and Nooker okayed well together, Oubre was a solid option when the ball went his way too
I thought the nba stopped testing for marijuana.
It’s the last thing Ayton would ever do
The NBA no longer tests for cannabis. Ppl should keep their mouth shut & let ppl think they are fools instead of opening their yap & confirming it.
Odds are it’s a stimulant, which is covered for by “diuretic”.
Diuretics are used to flush PEDs too you know….
The numbers of games clearly indicates he fool nobody.
C’mon folks, get a freaking clue!
If he was doing this to mask marijuana use, he’s a moron. Here’s the NBA rules on marijuana. Very lenient as you can see; you don’t incur a suspension until the third violation for weed! So instead he tries to hide marijuana use with a diuretic which has a 25 game suspension attached to it? Get real!
NBA policy on marijuana: No off-season tests. During the regular season, players are subject to four random tests.
• Punishment: 1st positive test: Enter substance abuse program. 2nd: $25,000 fine. 3rd: Five-game suspension and five more games are added to each ensuing positive test.