The Oklahoma City Thunder forward’s time with the team may be short following his extended suspension.
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The third-year forward has reportedly been suspended an additional 10 games by the National Basketball Association for “non-compliance to the league’s drug policy, “according to The Vertical”.
If Oklahoma City has its way, McGary has played his last game for the franchise.
In July, McGary was suspended the first five games of the season because of a drug violation, and with a second suspension, will now miss the opening 15 games. McGary left the Thunder for the final few weeks of the season for what the franchise termed “personal reasons”.
According to Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the most recent violation “isn’t believed to be another positive test, but rather a failure to live up to procedural guidelines set forth in the program”. McGary essentially left the team on his own, league sources said.
A 15-game suspension would rule McGary, 24, out until at least November 23 against the Sacramento Kings.
Following the original suspension, McGary said, “I clearly made a mistake and for that I apologize to the organization, my teammates, and our fans”. The penalty required him to sit out an entire season but he instead declared for the National Basketball Association draft.
Selected 21st overall in 2014, McGary’s future with the Thunder is on shaky ground.
Since being drafted by the Thunder in the first round in 2014, McGary has struggled to stay on the floor due to injury, appearing in just 52 games with averages of 4.4 points and 3.5 rebounds. In 47 career games, he averaged 7.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.
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McGary’s contract is guaranteed for next season ($1.52 million), but the Thunder could trade him, or buy him out of his remaining deal.
