Bobby Portis gained’t be eligible to return to the Bucks right until April 8. (Image by Stacy Revere/Getty Photographs)
Milwaukee Bucks ahead Bobby Portis was suspended 25 video games without purchase violating the NBA’s anti-drug program, the league introduced Thursday. He examined positive for Tramadol.

Portis’ agent, Mark Bartelstein, introduced an announcement claiming the violation was in essence a combination-up. Bartelstein said Portis believed he was using a soreness medication termed Toradol, that is accredited, but rather took Tramadol, which is not. The assertion said Portis was given the incorrect medication by an assistant of his, and it absolutely was “an truthful miscalculation.”

“Bobby Portis is totally not a drug abuser,” Bartelstein wrote. “Bobby performs tirelessly on growing hisperformance in all pure, authorized and nutritious strategies, but he manufactured a slip-up and took a pill that unknowingly he should not have. Today, in this instance, I'm so deeply unhappy which the NBA chooses to interpret its plan so strictly, and the plan does not permit for a distinct end result for an sincere error with pure intentions.”

In a press release launched with the Bucks, Portis mentioned, “I feel horrible and figure out which i’m to blame for what I set in my body. From The underside of my coronary heart, I need to apologize to your Bucks Corporation, my teammates, coaches, loved ones and enthusiasts. I give everything I've over the courtroom and will terribly miss taking part in video games for your Bucks for the duration of this time.”

Bucks basic supervisor Jon Horst claimed that even though “it is a quite challenging set of situation for Bobby and our crew … we a hundred% aid Bobby.”

The 25-game suspension would make Portis ineligible to return until the Bucks’ April 8 dwelling recreation against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Which include that game, the Bucks might have just 4 regular-period game titles remaining. Milwaukee at present sits in fifth put inside the Japanese Convention, a person sport back with the Indiana Pacers.

Portis has performed in 46 video games to the Bucks this year, averaging 25.two minutes, thirteen.7 factors and 8.three rebounds for each match.