If you heard Bobby Portis had been suspended 25 games for a violation of the league’s anti-drug policy, you wouldn’t be the only one who thought the penalty sounded harsh.
But it wasn’t out of whack with other recent examples of similar infractions. Here’s a look at recent NBA suspensions this season and in recent history.
Fighting often yields a short-term suspension
The league has built-in stipulations for repetitive flagrant behavior on the court; a player who amasses 16 technical fouls over the course of a season will be administered a one-game penalty, for example.
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There are also short-term suspensions for overly aggressive behavior. Consider these recent examples:
- Bennedict Mathurin of the Pacers was suspended one game without pay for making inappropriate contact and verbally abusing a game official in January.
- Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart was suspended a game in January — on his own bobblehead night, no less — after hitting a flagrant foul threshold.
- In December, Rockets forward Amen Thompson was suspended two games without pay and the Heat’s Terry Rozier was suspended one game for their involvement in an on-court altercation.
- Last year, Bucks guard Patrick Beverley was suspended four games without pay for forcefully throwing a basketball multiple times at spectators.
Joel Embiid, Draymond Green, Ja Morant and other high-profile suspensions
- In 2024, two-way player Jontay Porter, most recently under contract with the Raptors, was dealt a lifetime ban for his role in leaking confidential information to sports bettors and betting on games himself.
- Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid was levied a three-game suspension in November after shoving Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes following critical comments Hayes made in print.
- Charlotte’s Miles Bridges was given what was technically a 30-game suspension by the NBA after he pleaded no contest to a felony domestic violence charge. According to court documents, he then knowingly violated the terms of his restraining order and he turned himself into police before getting released on bond. He was given credit for 20 games after sitting out the entire 2022-23 season (he was not under contract at the time), then another 10 games to start the 2023-24 season.
In December 2023, Golden State’s Draymond Green was suspended indefinitely for striking Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkić in the face
- . The NBA reinstated Green after 12 games.
- In August 2023, Spurs guard Devonte’ Graham was suspended two games without pay after pleading guilty to a charge of impaired driving.
- In June 2023, the league suspended Grizzlies star Ja Morant 25 games to start the 2023-24 season on top of eight games when he was caught flashing a gun on a social-media livestream March 4, 2023. Two weeks after the smaller first suspension, he was again seen on a livestream holding a gun, prompting the bigger second suspension. It was deemed “conduct detrimental to the league”
Other drug-related suspensions
- In January 2024, Cavaliers big man Tristan Thompson was suspended 25 games for violating the drug program, testing positive for ibutamoren and SARM LGD-4033.
- In 2019, Atlanta’s John Collins received a 25-game suspension after testing positive for a growth hormone.
- In 2023, G-League player Jalen Adaway was dismissed and disqualified from the league for a violation of the league’s anti-drug program. He was eligible to apply for reinstatement a year later and recently signed with the G League’s San Diego Clippers.
- In 2021, Raptors guard Jalen Harris was dismissed from the league similarly; he has not appeared in the NBA since but has played in the G League.
- In 2019, former rookie of the year Tyreke Evans was banned for two years for violating the anti-drug program. He was reinstated and even spent time with the Wisconsin Herd of the G League but hasn’t played in the NBA again.
- Former Bucks player O.J. Mayo received a two-year ban for violating the anti-drug program (using a “drug of abuse”) in 2016 after he had wrapped up his third season with the Bucks. He has not appeared in an NBA game since.
Among the most high-profile bans in NBA history
