Monta Ellis used marijuana, but the NBA needs to stop caring about it

Monta Ellis is suspended for 5 games for violating the NBA’s drug abuse policy, but the league needs to get rid of the rule in the next CBA.

I was on a trip the past few days so the news of Indiana Pacers guard Monta Ellis getting suspended for five games this upcoming season barely stayed in my mind for more than a minute.

Here’s what happened in those 60-ish seconds:

• Monta Ellis continues to disappoint Indiana Pacers fans, even when he isn’t on the court.
• That’s dumb of Monta to get caught twice and then to keep smoking (something we know occurred because the NBA’s drug-testing rules only trigger a suspension after the third failed test).
• Marijuana is legal or decriminalized in 20 states, allowed for medical use in 21 others, and possessing small amounts are just a misdemeanor in the rest, why does the NBA care?
• No really, why does the NBA still punish players for something that is likely to be completely legal within most players lifetimes?
• Is Monta a smoker, does he use a hookah? Is he more of an edibles guy?
• Monta, that was unprofessional, you should know better.
• But seriously, how is this still a rule in the NBA?

Not to go all John Oliver on this, but how is this still a thing in the world’s most progressive league? How does a league operate in so many places where marijuana is legal and still bother to police its use? Personally, marijuana doesn’t do much for me, but there are some lapses in logic to justify the NBA still having rules about it.

Considering you pretty much can’t kill yourself with marijuana (at least directly) unlike alcohol — which you can easily purchase enough of in a gas station to send you to the hospital — then it takes some mental gymnastics to still fine and suspend players for it.

Don’t forget, the NBA allows beer and liquor ads to run during broadcasts, something that kills thousands a year, and is known to cause a number of health issues when abused. But unless they show up drunk, the NBA doesn’t care if the players drink.

Another reason why this needs to change is there are actual medical uses for marijuana, unlike alcohol.

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• Handing out early-season grades for Pacers’ Bruce Brown, Obi Toppin
• 3 positives, 2 negatives in Pacers In-Season Tournament win vs. Cavaliers
• 2 positives, 3 negatives from first week of Indiana Pacers basketball
• Should Isaiah Jackson’s days with Indiana Pacers be numbered?

Current NBA championship coach Steve Kerr admitted to using marijuana for pain (though it didn’t work for him), as well as former Pacer David West. Commissioner Adam Silver has openly said it isn’t a high priority for the NBA and that they could adjust “to the times” on the issue.

But apparently changing the rules wasn’t a high enough priority in the new CBA, and optics are likely to blame on the side of team owners while the players weren’t worried about a five-game suspension.

The owners don’t want to deal with the P.R. that comes with changing the rules on a drug that was demonized for the past 100 years. Eliminating the rules isn’t going to win them any fans, but loosening the rules could bother their more conservative fans. The reward doesn’t justify the risk for the owners even if they don’t care about the rule one way or another.

But that doesn’t change the fact the rule is next to quaint and an artifact of the 1980s War on Drugs more than something that affects the NBA day in and day out.

Monta didn’t follow the rules, I can be annoyed by that, but I can’t feign outrage over marijuana use.

Next: Does the BOS-PHI trade mean anything for Paul George?

Monta Ellis should know better, but so should the NBA.