Josh Primo returns to NBA on same day heâs suspended
The Los Angeles Clippers signed Josh Primo to a two-way contract on Friday, returning the former Alabama guard to an NBA roster on the same day that the league suspended him for four games.
The NBA announced Primo had been suspended for four games without pay “for conduct detrimental to the league” even though he has been out of basketball since the San Antonio Spurs released him on Oct. 28, 2022.
“The league conducted its own investigation and consulted with relevant experts,” the NBA said in a press release on Friday. “Following the process, the league found that Primo engaged in inappropriate and offensive behavior by exposing himself to women. Primo maintains that his conduct was not intentional, and the league did not find evidence that he engaged in any sexual or other misconduct apart from these brief exposures.
“Nevertheless, this behavior does not conform to league standards and warrants discipline.”
Primo has been involved in therapy since the Spurs released him, ESPN reported.
“We took many steps to make sure that we could feel very confident that we will be able to create a safe and comfortable workplace,” Lawrence Frank, the Clippers’ president of basketball operations, told the Los Angeles Times. “… We’ve spent a great deal of time for the last several months with Josh. We’ve had specialists who we consult with who’ve evaluated Josh, and the reason why we’re moving forward is, based on their confidence level after the evaluations and what he’s doing currently, they feel he can be a positive contributor to the organization moving forward.”
San Antonio provided no explanation for Primo’s release. But lawsuits against the NBA team and player alleged Primo had exposed himself to Dr. Hillary Cauthen on multiple occasions when she worked as a consulting psychologist with the Spurs. The lawsuits were settled without going to court.
Each NBA team can sign up to three players to two-way contracts. A two-way player can be moved from the NBA roster to the team’s NBA G League affiliate without having to pass through waivers and can play up to 50 games for the big team.
Los Angeles’ G League affiliate is the Ontario Clippers, based in Ontario, California.
Three other former Alabama standouts are preparing to report for training camp on two-way contracts — JD Davison with the Boston Celtics, Keon Ellis with the Sacramento Kings and Braxton Key with the Dallas Mavericks.
The Los Angeles Times said in addition to four regular-season games, Primo also will not be eligible to play in the Clippers’ preseason games.
Primo had joined San Antonio as the 12th selection in the 2021 NBA Draft. After averaging 8.1 points per game in his only season at Alabama, Primo averaged 5.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 50 games while also playing in 12 games with the Austin Spurs of the NBA G League in his rookie season.
Primo played in San Antonio’s first four games of the 2022-23 NBA season. He averaged 7.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 23.3 minutes per game before being released.
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.