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[Saba Sports News] The NBA has suspended Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis for 25 games after he tested positive for Tramadol, a banned substance.
Portis’ agent, Mark Bartlestein, called it an “honest mistake,” explaining that the 30-year-old unknowingly took Tramadol instead of Toradol, an approved pain medication.
According to Bartlestein, an assistant who had a prescription for Tramadol mistakenly gave it to Portis while he was managing an elbow injury.
“This was an honest mix-up due to the similarity of the drug names and their similar purpose,” Bartlestein said. “Bobby was simply taking medication to manage pain before a game.”
The agent emphasized that Portis is “absolutely not a drug abuser” and expressed disappointment in the NBA’s strict interpretation of its policy.
Portis, a key bench player for the Bucks since 2020, is averaging 13.7 points and 8.3 rebounds over 46 games this season. His suspension comes as Milwaukee struggles, having lost six of their last nine games before the All-Star break.
They return to action Thursday night at home against the Los Angeles Clippers.