Tarpley Suspended Indefinitely After Arrest for Drunk Driving

The Dallas Mavericks’ hopes of rebuilding behind talented but troubled forward Roy Tarpley took another tumble Friday when he was suspended indefinitely without pay for violating his NBA-mandated after-care program for substance abuse.

Tarpley, 26, admitted having three beers before his arrest last weekend on suspicion of drunk driving.

Because the 7-foot, 245-pound Tarpley already was sidelined for the season by a knee injury, the suspension with 10 games left won’t affect his playing status. But it will cost him money.

” . . . Tarpley is paid on a 12-month basis, so the suspension without pay is unrelated to how many games we have left,” Kevin Sullivan, director of media services for the Mavericks, said.

Tarpley reportedly earns $765,000 a year or $63,750 a month.

Tarpley was unavailable for comment.

Dr. Dave Lewis, medical director of the ASAP Family Treatment Program in Van Nuys, which runs the NBA’s anti-drug program, announced the suspension a day after meeting for two hours with Tarpley in Dallas.

“I’m satisfied he is in violation of his after-care,” Lewis said in a statement. “It is a violation of his after-care contract to use any mind-changing chemicals, alcohol or drugs.”