Hooped Up

When the NBA office called Indiana Pacers president Larry Bird the other day, the news was as shocking as it was disheartening. The Pacers’ underachieving and monumentally disappointing young center, David Harrison, had tested positive for marijuana for the third time in his career, drawing a five-game suspension. Turns out, Bird and the Pacers organization had no idea that Harrison had tested positive for anything. Ever. That’s league policy as it relates to marijuana. And that’s ridiculous.

Indianapolis Star

The Indiana Pacers did not know center David Harrison failed two previous drug tests until they learned he was suspended five games for violating the league’s drug program last Friday while they were preparing for practice in Phoenix. As part of the collective bargaining agreement, teams are not notified about a failed drug test until a player is suspended.

Indianapolis Star

Tinsley and several companions were targeted in the shooting that wounded one person outside a downtown hotel. Tinsley wasn’t injured. He didn’t practice Sunday, but according to the team Web site, Pacers.com, Tinsley is scheduled to meet with Bird and O’Brien to discuss the team’s course of action. The Pacers will Cleveland on Tuesday night.

“This is something we can’t just put right behind us and walk away from,” Bird told Pacers.com. “It’s something we’ll have to discuss. I don’t know how long it’ll take and we’ll continue to talk about it. We have to make a change, there’s no question about it.”

ABC News