Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis has been suspended 25 games by the NBA for violating the league’s anti-drug policy.
The NBA announced on Thursday that Portis has been suspended 25 games for testing positive for Tramadol, which is a banned substance. Portis’ agent Mark Bartlestein said in a statement that the veteran made an “honest mistake.”
According to Bartelstein, Portis unknowingly took Tramadol when the 30-year-old believed he was taking Toradol, which is an approved pain medication. Bartelstein claims Portis was accidentally given Tramadol by an “assistant of his” who has a prescription for the medication.
“This was, again, an honest mistake that was made because of the similarity of the names of the drugs and the fact they both serve a very similar purpose,” Bartelstein wrote. “Bobby was using anti-inflammatory pain-reducing medication to deal with an elbow injury he had this past fall and believed he was taking Toradol to alleviate some pain in preparation for that night’s game.”
Bartelstein added that Portis is “absolutely not a drug abuser” and respects the NBA’s anti-drug policy. The agent said he is “disappointed that the NBA chooses to interpret its policy so strictly.”
You can read the full statement:
Portis has been with the Bucks since 2020. He is a key part of the rotation and plays mostly off the bench. Portis is averaging 13.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game across 46 contests this season.
The Bucks lost six of nine games heading into the All-Star break to fall to 29-24 on the year. They resume play at home against the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night.
With the 6-foot-10 Portis now out until April, Milwaukee’s depth will face a serious test.
