Charlotte Hornets Take Another Hit With Al Jefferson's 5-Game Suspension

Charlotte Hornets center Al Jefferson was suspended five games by the NBA on Wednesday for violating the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program.

Jefferson hasn’t played since November 29 due to a strained left calf suffered against the Milwaukee Bucks. At the time, the Hornets’ training staff announced that Jefferson would be out two-to-three weeks with the injury and the NBA announced that he can’t begin serving his suspension until he’s deemed healthy. That being said, I would be shocked to see Jefferson playing before Christmas.

The Hornets released a statement upon hearing the announcement:

“We are disappointed in Al’s decisions that led to this suspension. As an organization, we do not condone this behavior. We have addressed this with Al. He is regretful and understands that we expect him to learn from this mistake.”

It hasn’t been disclosed as to what drug Jefferson tested positive for, but he was regretful for his decisions nonetheless:

“I want to apologize to the Hornets organization, our owner, my teammates and my coaches for the poor decision that I made,” Jefferson’s statement read.

“I know I have let people down, especially the Hornets fans that have been so supportive of me since I arrived in Charlotte two years ago. I am blessed to be able to play the game that I love for a living and I do not take that for granted. From the bottom of my heart, I am truly sorry, and I am committed to making smarter decisions in the future.”

It will be interesting to see how the suspension affects the Hornets’ interest in re-signing Jefferson as his current three-year deal expires after this season.

Jason Fletcher is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @JasonFletcher25, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google+.