Hornets’ Al Jefferson suspended five games for anti-drug policy violation

Hornets center Al Jefferson was suspended for five games on Wednesday for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy

Charlotte Hornets center Al Jefferson has been sidelined for the team’s past few games due to a calf strain that is expected to keep him out for another week or so. However, Jefferson is going to miss a bit more time even once he’s healthy as the veteran big man has been suspended for five games.

On Wednesday afternoon, the NBA handed Jefferson a five-game suspension for violating the league’s anti-drug policy:

It’s worth noting that this suspension for Jefferson is not for HGH use. Testing positive for HGH warrants a player a 20-game suspension rather than the five handed out the Jefferson.

It’s pointless to speculate as to what Jefferson did test positive forward, though, as there’s so little information regarding the suspension at this point. The more important factor is how this affects the surprisingly frisky Hornets.

The Hornets are currently heavily involved at the top of the Eastern Conference standings, even with Jefferson having already missed time. Nicolas Batum and Kemba Walker have been carrying the team in Big Al’s absence, but one has to wonder how sustainable that for Charlotte without Jefferson and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, who was lost to a season-ending shoulder injury in the preseason.