Milwaukee Bucks striker Bobby Portis Jr. was suspended with out wage for 25 video games to have violated the phrases of the NBA / NBPA anti-drug program by testing constructive for Tramadol, the League introduced on Thursday.
Portis’ suspension will begin with Thursday’s match between the Bucks and the Clippers on the Fiserv Discussion board in Milwaukee.
His agent, Mark Bartelstein of Precedence Sports activities, defined in an extended assertion to ESPN that his shopper made an “trustworthy error” and unintentionally blended ache treatment.
“Bobby involuntarily took ache treatment referred to as Tramadol, pondering that he was taking a portray in opposition to ache referred to as Toradol”, “,” Bartelstein mentioned. “Toradol is an accepted ache treatment that he used beforehand and that groups and gamers generally use for ache and irritation.
“Tramadol, nevertheless, shouldn’t be an accepted ache treatment and has lately been added to the record of gear prohibited final spring.”
The declaration concluded Portis to be “a teammate {and professional} of an ideal individual” and have a constructive popularity within the League.
“Bobby Portis is totally not a drug addict,” continued Bartelstein. “Bobby works tirelessly on the rise in his efficiency in any pure, authorized and wholesome methods, however he made a mistake and took a capsule that he shouldn’t have.
“At the moment, on this case, I’m so deeply dissatisfied that the NBA chooses to interpret its coverage so strictly and that the coverage doesn’t enable a special end result for an trustworthy error with pure intentions.”
Portis, 30, “will settle for this penalty with grace,” mentioned the press launch.
This suspension will put him away till the final Milwaukee video games of the common season in opposition to the Timberwolves on April 8, the Pélicans on April 10 and two video games in opposition to the pistons on April 11 and 13.
Portis is on common 13.7 factors and eight.3 rebounds in 25.2 minutes per match for the Bucks this season.
Milwaukee has a 29-24 and fifth file within the East by leaving the celebrities break.
Portis was chosen with the twenty second total selection by the Bulls within the NBA 2015 NBA.
He was a part of the staff that helped carry the primary title to Milwaukee Bucks in 50 years in 2021.
