Per ESPN’s Shams Charania, the NBA has suspended Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis for 25 games for violating the league’s anti-drug policy.
According to Portis’ representative, “Bobby unintentionally took a pain medication called Tramadol, thinking he was taking a pain medication called Toradol.”
Toradol is an approved anti-inflammatory pain reliever that Portis has used multiple times in the past. However, Tramadol was recently added to the NBA’s banned substance list, leading to what his camp claims was an honest mix-up due to the medications’ similar names. While both drugs offer similar pain relief effects, the misunderstanding has now sidelined Portis at a critical juncture in Milwaukee’s season.
The struggling Bucks are in even more trouble now
The timing couldn’t be worse for the Bucks, who currently sit fifth in the Eastern Conference — just half a game behind the Indiana Pacers for fourth place. Portis has been underperforming this season, averaging 13.7 points while shooting his lowest percentages from the field and from three since joining Milwaukee in 2020.
His absence also doesn’t reflect well on general manager Jon Horst, who actively shopped Portis and Pat Connaughton before the Feb. 6 trade deadline but failed to move either. Now, with no return for either player and Portis unavailable, Milwaukee faces a serious depth issue as they battle for home-court advantage in the playoffs.
The Bucks did manage to trade for Kyle Kuzma at the deadline, in part to lower themselves under the second tax apron and create some financial flexibility for potential post-deadline moves. However, the team will still be on the hook for the remainder of Portis’ $12.5 million salary this season — an expense they could have avoided had they moved him in a deal.
Milwaukee can sign a replacement starting March 1, after Portis has missed six games. Potential targets include Cam Reddish and Dennis Schröder, two players currently on non-contending teams who could be looking for a path to a playoff run.