So an NBA player fails a drug test. The NBA suspends the player, cites the failure of the drug test, names the drugs involved and gives the suspension / punishment which I believe has been agreed to in the CBA.
DiDi Louzada of the New Orleans Pelicans has been suspended without pay for twenty-five games for violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program by testing positive for Drostanolone and Testosterone, it was announced today by the NBA.
No idea who that suspended player was. Never heard of him before. Brazilian, 6-5 wing, played 12 career games.
I like the clarity here. They named the rule (NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program), they explained what the player did to violate that rule (took Drostanolone and Testosterone), and then handed out the punishment (25 games, no pay). I believe the framework for the punishment was agreed to as part of the CBA.
The Boston Celtics announced today that the team has suspended Head Coach Ime Udoka for the 2022-23 season for violations of team policies. A decision about his future with the Celtics beyond this season will be made at a later date. The suspension takes effect immediately.
Here, with Udoka, they did not name the rules broken ("violations of team policies"). Then they do not say how exactly or what exactly Ime did to break those stated rules. Then we have the punishment. They were in a tough spot because no existing framework. No insight given into how punishment was decided / determined.
I would suggest that because it was a violation of a team workplace policy, as opposed to a violation of an NBA league-related rule. Like if someone is caught drink driving and their organization suspends them for a few games, as opposed to testing positive for drugs which is a league policy. The team doesn't have to disclose that the player was caught DUI, they just say "suspended for violating team rules". Usually you find out about that stuff from the police.
I'd like them to be more transparent too, so I can understand why they levied what they did, but I can understand why they are not. I'm guessing there is also a legal angle. For all we know the woman threatened a lawsuit and they settled with her out of court and part of the punishment is Ime's suspension and all parties are muzzled by an NDA. That's purely conjecture on my part but it certainly could be a possibility, and they would be under no obligation to communicate that to the public.
I suspect that unless someone does a tell-all in their memoirs or there's a leak from someone with an axe to grind, further official details from the team won't be forthcoming.