Denver Nuggets forward J.J. Hickson will miss the start of this season.
He has been suspended five games (without pay) for violation of the NBA’s drug policy. (Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post first broke the news.)
Five games is the standard marijuana suspension from the league. As a reminder, you need to fail a marijuana test three separate times to earn that suspension, just do it once or twice and you get counseling.
If you’re saying “but it’s legal in Colorado” it still violates NBA league policy and the CBA between the league and players. Sorry, you don’t get to smoke out if traded to the Nuggets.
Hickson averaged 11.8 points a game on 50.8 percent shooting for the Nuggets last season, starting 52 games for them. With JaVale McGee back healthy and Kenneth Faried being Kenneth Faried, Hickson is expected to be the first big off the bench for the Nuggets this season.
Just not for the first five games.
