NBA hits Ja with suspension
The NBA is suspending Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant for eight games without pay after he flashed a gun during a live video earlier this month.
“Ja’s conduct was irresponsible, reckless and potentially very dangerous,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement Wednesday afternoon.
The eight-game suspension covers the six games Morant already missed following the Instagram Live incident. Morant will be eligible to return when the Grizzlies take on the Dallas Mavericks at home on March 20. The suspension comes after a face-toface meeting Wednesday between Morant and Silver at the NBA’s offices in Midtown Manhattan and a league investigation into his conduct.
Morant, a two-time All-Star, has not played since the Grizzlies’ March 3 loss to the Nuggets in Denver. It was at a Denver-area nightclub early the next morning that Morant — described in the league’s statement as “holding a firearm in an intoxicated state” — went live on social media.
The former Murray State star and the second-overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, was not charged with a crime by Colorado authorities. The authorities opened an investigation after the live stream went viral, determining that the video with Morant appearing with a gun was taken inside Shotgun Willies, a Glendale, Colo., strip club.
Authorities noted no disturbances were reported and that no calls regarding a weapon were made.
“Although the video was concerning enough to prompt an investigation, there was not enough evidence to charge anyone with a crime,” the Glendale Police Department said in a press release.
The NBA’s investigation found that Morant didn’t possess the gun while traveling with the team or in any NBA facility.
“It also has serious consequences given his enormous following and influence, particularly among young fans who look up to him,” Silver added. “He has expressed sincere contrition and remorse for his behavior.”
Morant’s meeting with Silver comes on the heels of the star guard finishing a counseling program in Florida, according to ESPN. Morant entered the program on Monday as a need “to get help and work on learning better methods of dealing with stress and my overall well-being.”
“I’m sorry to my family, teammates, coaches, fans, partners, the city of Memphis and the entire organization for letting you down,” Morant said in a statement at the time.
Nike, the global brand that Morant has a signature shoe with, supported the star in a statement after he took responsibility.
“We appreciate Ja’s accountability and that he is taking the time to get the help he needs,” the statement read. “We support his prioritization of his well-being.”
The 23-year-old has been in headlines for numerous off-court incidents dating back to last summer.
A recent Washington Post report detailed allegations that the Morant assaulted a 17-year-old boy at the superstar’s home. At the time, Morant told police the teenager threw the basketball at his head, prompting him to retaliate. The teen alleged Morant went into his house and came back out with a gun.
A separate incident allegedly occurred in a Memphis mall, according to the Post. A mall cop told police that Morant threatened him by saying “Let me find out what time he gets off,” after a shouting match with the superstar and his friends.
In February, the NBA investigated an alleged incident involving the Indiana Pacers’ traveling party and Morant’s acquaintances following a Jan. 29 game in Memphis. People with the Pacers believed someone in a vehicle, that Morant was in, shone a red laser on their bus. People in the Pacers’ party believed the laser was attached to a gun. The NBA investigated the incident but Morant wasn’t punished, but the league said “certain individuals” were banned from attending Memphis home games.
No arrests were made in any of the incidents.