The Phoenix Suns are in trouble.
According to a release from the NBA, former No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton has been suspended for 25 games after violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy. Players are required to submit to drug testing from time-to-time, and Ayton apparently came back with a positive test for a diuretic.
Diuretics are a thinning agent used to mask potential drug use in professional athletes. Even their presence, in the absence of actual drugs, is banished by the NBA.
This has serious consequences for the Suns. He’s a high-profile player, and basketball as a sport has largely ducked talk of performance-enhancing drugs in comparison to the NFL and MLB. Phoenix was hoping Ayton’s development would continue as the season sparked off, but now they’ll have to wait more than a quarter of the season for him to return.
Follow-up testing on Phoenix's Deandre Ayton showed no traces of any other banned substances, sources with knowledge of results tell ESPN. NBPA is likely to fast-track arbitration process to push for a reduction as soon as possible, per sources.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 25, 2019
More Ayton: “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.” https://t.co/LShm244MnD
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 25, 2019
Adrian Wojnarowski has reported that Ayton will be mounting a defense alongside the NBPA, and Suns fans will be holding out hope that he can provide some other science that doesn’t make him look guilty.
