The Phoenix Suns were feeling good about themselves after a blowout win over the Sacramento Kings on opening night.
Those good feelings lasted the matter of hours. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, former No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton has been suspended 25 games for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy.
The NBPA is already reportedly preparing an arbitration case in an attempt to reduce or rescind the penalty under the CBA provision of unintentional ingestion.
To say that this would be a massive blow for first-year head coach Monty Williams and the upstart Suns would be an understatement.
Ayton, 21, averaged 16.3 points and 10.3 rebounds while shooting at a 59% mark as a rookie last season.