Mitch McGary gets drug suspension increased from 5 games to 15
Mitch McGary’s offseason just went from bad to worse.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical on Tuesday, the Oklahoma City Thunder big man has been suspended for an additional ten games to go along with his original five-game suspension for violating the league’s drug policy back in July. He will now serve a 15-game ban without pay to begin the 2016-17 season.
This latest violation isn’t reportedly believed to be another positive test, but instead a failure to live up to the guidelines set forth in the NBA’s anti-drug program. Wojnarowski also adds that, if Oklahoma City get their way, McGary has played his final game in a Thunder uniform.
The 24-year-old has struggled with drugs since his time in college at Michigan, when he was forced to declare for the NBA Draft early after getting a one-year suspension from the NCAA due to a positive test for marijuana.
McGary has only played in 52 games for the Thunder, mostly because of injuries, since they drafted him in the first round in 2014. He has become an unnecessary piece in the OKC frontcourt, especially considering how Steven Adams and Enes Kanter have blossomed and how the team traded for Ersan Ilyasova, Domantas Sabonis, and Joffrey Lauvergne this summer. Throw in McGary’s 15-game ban and the greater character concerns that come with it, and it’s probably safe to close the book on his tenure in Oklahoma City.
Image Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
