The NBA has announced that Denver Nuggets forward JJ Hickson has been suspended for five games for violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program.

The unpaid ban will see Hickson miss the first five games of the new campaign, which gets underway on October 28.

The player is currently recovering from a torn ACL experienced last season, but the team had hoped that he would be fit and ready to go for the coming term.

It is thought that reserve forward Darrell Arthur could slot into the position to cover for Hickson, who will miss standout fixtures with the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Cleveland Cavaliers.