The Los Angeles Lakers will return on Friday with extra focus as they try to strengthen their campaign in the remaining 28 games of the season. However, their big man, Deandre Ayton, might have his attention divided after running into trouble with Bahamian police.
The NBA was on a break for the All-Star Weekend, and Ayton returned to his home country. He played for the last time on Feb. 9 in a home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He is nursing a knee injury, which the team confirmed is not serious.
TMZ reported that the 27-year-old center’s return to Los Angeles was disrupted after he was detained by local authorities for alleged possession of marijuana. The NBA no longer includes marijuana on its list of banned substances, but it remains illegal in the Bahamas.
The report claimed that Ayton was held at Lynden Pindling International Airport after he was spotted smoking marijuana. The Lakers' big man was briefly detained, and his bag was searched, but police found nothing.
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His lawyer, Devard Francis, said he was immediately released, and no charges were filed.
"The investigators saw that the actual very small amount of marijuana wasn't in Deandre's bag, but they still went through their investigations and he was released expeditiously," Francis said in a statement.
Ayton was previously suspended for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy. The incident took place in 2019 when he was still part of the Phoenix Suns. The NBA found that he had tested positive for a diuretic, which is commonly used to treat high blood pressure and help eliminate excess salt through increased urine production.
The 2018 No. 1 overall pick had a great start to the season with his new team, but it has been up and down for him this month. He has been inconsistent as the Lakers’ starting center, recording just one double-double in his last 10 games.