Tyreke Evans was dismissed and disqualified from the NBA on Friday for violating the terms of the league’s anti-drug program.
Evans, a 10-year NBA veteran who played last season for the Indiana Pacers and was set to become an unrestricted free agent, is eligible to apply for reinstatement in two years.
The NBA, NBA teams, and the NBA Players Association are prohibited from publicly disclosing information regarding the testing or treatment of any NBA player under the Anti-Drug Program, other than to announce a player’s suspension or dismissal from the league.
Based on the rules of the NBA’s collective-bargaining agreement (CBA), Evans’ ban must be for a “drug of abuse.” Had the punishment been for a performance-enhancing substance, the drug found would have been announced.
According to multiple media reports, the CBA’s list of “drugs of abuse” consists of amphetamine and its analogs (including, but not limited to, methamphetamine and MDMA), cocaine, LSD, opiates (heroin, codeine, morphine) and phencyclidine (PCP).
The Pacers released a statement, saying, “The Indiana Pacers were informed Friday by the NBA that Tyreke Evans has been dismissed from the league for a violation of the league’s anti-drug policy. We take these matters seriously and will reach out to Tyreke to offer our support.”
The last player to be banned from the NBA for a violation of the drug policy was O.J. Mayo on July 1, 2016.
Evans, 29, averaged 10.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 20.3 minutes in 69 games last season, his first with the Pacers.
Evans, the fourth pick in the 2009 draft out of Memphis, averaged a career-best 20.1 points as a rookie with the Sacramento Kings. The 6-foot-6 guard has played for the Kings (2009-13, 2017), the New Orleans Pelicans (2013-17), the Memphis Grizzlies (2017-18) and the Pacers.
He has a career average of 15.7 points.
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