Oklahoma City Thunder forward Mitch McGary has been suspended five games for violating the league’s anti-drug policy. The suspension will be served at the beginning of the 2016-17 season.
#thunder forward Mitch McGary has been suspended w/out pay for 5 games after violating the NBA's anti-drug program. pic.twitter.com/hh643RyGsI
— rob (@R0BaTO) July 8, 2016
The suspension and terms of the violation seem to be pointing to the big man having failed a drug test due to marijuana.
Based on the language, we can infer McGary's suspension for for a third positive test for marijuana.
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) July 8, 2016
McGary is a fringe player in the NBA. Violating the league’s anti-drug policy is certainly not a good way to improve his chances of staying in the league.
In his two seasons in the league, McGary has averaged 4.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. He has only played in 52 games, though that is in part due to injuries suffered during both years.
McGary released the following statement regarding the suspension:
Mitch McGary's statement on his five-game suspension for a failed drug test pic.twitter.com/fhbY4CCBG3
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) July 8, 2016
McGary’s suspension is certainly not the biggest blow to the Thunder this summer, having just lost Kevin Durant to the Warriors. But the suspension and repetitive transgressions is a big blow to Mitch McGary’s own efforts to stick around in the NBA.
