Larry Sanders's suspension carrying beyond 10 games

The Milwaukee Bucks have been without center Larry Sanders since Dec. 23, and his timetable for a return remains open-ended.

Sanders was originally said to be on the shelf with an illness, then out because of a personal matter. On Jan. 16, the league suspended Sanders 10 games for his fourth violation of the league's anti-drug policy.

That suspension was now 12 games ago, but Sanders remains out of the lineup and away from the team. That's because Sanders's ban was actually for a minimum of 10 games. He won't be reinstated until he's in full compliance with his treatment program, a league spokesman told Charles Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

The latest reports indicate that Sanders is determined to shake his reliance on marijuana usage and get in full compliance, but the process for doing so doesn't have a clear timeline.

If Sanders returns this season, the Bucks would need to clear a roster spot for him, as they've been given an extra one while he's suspended. League sources expect the Bucks to consider buying Sanders out of his contract, but that could be a complicated negotiation in year one of a four-year, $44-million deal. There have been no indications that the organization is being anything but supportive of Sanders in the interim.