OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Thunder waived forward Mitch McGary and guard Ronnie Price to cut the roster to the required maximum of 15 players, the team announced Monday.
McGary is suspended for 15 games for multiple violations of the league's drug policy. The suspension will begin when (or if) he signs with another team.
In July, McGary was suspended for five games because of a drug violation but had another 10 games added on for an additional issue in September. The second violation was said not to be drug related, but instead "failure to live up to procedural guidelines set forth in the program."
McGary was selected 21st in the NBA draft in 2014 and made an impact on the roster as a rookie. But with multiple injuries and then off-court issues, including McGary leaving the team for a couple weeks for undisclosed personal reasons late last season, the Thunder decided to cut ties.
The Thunder shopped McGary but were unable to find a willing trade partner following the second suspension. The Thunder won't have to pay all of McGary's remaining contract ($1.52 million) because of the pending 15-game suspension.
McGary declared for the NBA draft in 2014 after testing positive for marijuana while at Michigan following his sophomore season. Had he not entered the draft, he would've been suspended by the NCAA for his entire junior season.
After his five-game suspension was announced in July, McGary issued a statement through the team: "I clearly made a mistake, and for that, I apologize to the organization, my teammates, and our fans. I realize there are only so many opportunities given to you and I need to make sure that, as a person and as a player, I take accountability and ensure that this does not happen again."
Price, 33, was signed to a two-year guaranteed contract worth $5 million by the Thunder over the summer, but the surprise emergence of 2014 second-round pick Semaj Christon, along with the injury to Cameron Payne, pushed the Thunder into waiving the veteran.
Christon, who has spent time playing for the Thunder's D-League affiliate and in Italy, will back up Russell Westbrook until Payne returns.