San Antonio Spurs guard Devonte Graham was suspended for two games without pay for pleading guilty to a DWI charge, according to a statement released by the NBA office. The two games without pay will result in Graham losing $166,897 in game checks.
Graham was set to make $12.1 million next season. He is also under contract for the following season for $12.6 million. It is not a player or team option. He figured to be in the main rotation for the young Spurs team. The suspension will begin at the start of the regular season or whenever Graham is eligible to play.
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Why was Devonte Graham arrested?
The guard was arrested for driving while intoxicated in July 2022. The incident occurred in Graham’s hometown of Raleigh, North Carolina.
He was a member of the New Orleans Pelicans at the time. The arrest occurred around 3 AM local time. Graham was 27 years old at the time.
He pleaded guilty to the charge in late June of this year. It is a misdemeanor charge. He entered the plea deal after cutting a deal with prosecutors.
Graham also had a speeding charge dismissed as part of the bargain. He was driving at 63 mph in a 40 mph speed limit zone.
He later received a sentence of probation for one year. He was originally sentenced to 21 days in jail but it was dismissed in favor of probation.
Graham also paid #393 in fines and fees. There is no confirmation of how much he had to pay in legal fees as part of his defense.
Graham blew a 0.11 BAC at the time of the arrest. The legal limit is 0.08.
He was traded from the Pelicans to the Spurs last season. He averaged 13.00 points per game in 20 games for San Antonio after the trade.
He played with the New Orleans Pelicans prior to the trade since the start of the 2021-22 season. He averaged 11.9 ppg in his first season with New Orleans.
It was a bit of a dip in production since his days with the Charlotte Hornets. Graham spent his first three seasons in Charlotte after being drafted in the second round by the team.
He had a career-high 18.2 ppg and 7.5 apg in his second season with the Hornets. He also hit 37.3 percent of his 3-pointers that season.
Devonte Graham’s future with the San Antonio Spurs
Devonte Graham may currently be a member of the San Antonio Spurs after being traded, however, his spot on the team isn’t guaranteed. After receiving a two-game suspension, Graham could be waived by the team as they look to cut down on their roster before the start of the season.
Currently, with Tyus Jones and Cam Payne as the first and second string point guards Graham would come off the bench as the third string point guard. With that being said, the team has a combined 10 point guards and shooting guards listed on their depth chart.
Given that, it’s no secret that the team will need to make some tough decisions, and with Devonte Graham’s legal troubles, the team may decide to let him go.
In the event that they do, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for the 28-year-old. After a successful collegiate career, Graham’s play in the NBA has been impressive, however, he has struggled to match the output of his sophomore season.
While the 20 games he played in San Antonio last season saw him post a 13.0 points per game average, his sophomore year stat line from the 2019-20 season remains his most impressive.
At the time, Devonte Graham averaged 18.2 points per game, 7.5 assists per game, 3.4 rebounds per game, and 1.0 steals per game.
Should he wind up being waived by the Spurs, only time will tell where the former Big 12 Player of the Year lands.
Stay tuned for updates as they become available.
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