Ja Morant returns with the Memphis Grizzlies after his eight game-suspension for flashing a firearm in suburban Denver. The news brought waves of emotions to fans, as they use NBA picks today to place informed bets. The NBA made this decision, tagging it “conduct detrimental to the league.”
Morant sat out his sixth game after the Grizzlies’ Miami game on Wednesday night. He became eligible to resume playing on Monday when Memphis played Dallas. His missed games count toward his suspension, and Morant stands to forfeit around $669,000 in salary.
Read on as we discuss the Morant’s gun flashing incident and the Grizzlies:
Adam Silver, NBA’s commissioner, released a statement where he said Ja’s conduct is reckless, irresponsible, and dangerous. He then said it had serious consequences, especially considering Ja’s massive following full of young fans.
Silver met Morant in New York before announcing the league’s penalty decision. The meeting consisted of other league officials and representatives from the National Basketball Player’s Association.
Grizzlies coach, Taylor Jenkins, expressed his disappointment in Morant, saying he didn’t expect the basketball star to play on Monday. He also said that the team would be respectful of Morant’s time off.
“There’ll be a quick ramp-up period after the suspension,” said Jenkins. “He hasn’t played basketball for almost two weeks now.”
What Did The Investigation Lead To?
The basketball league began an investigation, which started almost immediately after March 4, when Ja Morant filmed himself on Instagram. They found out that Morant held a firearm in an intoxicated state. However, they didn’t prove that Morant owned the gun or displayed it beyond a brief period.
The investigation also didn’t find that Morant possessed the gun on Memphis’ flight to Denver or that he had it in any NBA facility. Colorado Police confirmed that they investigated the entire affair and found no reason to convict Morant of a crime.
Morant addressed ESPN in an interview and confirmed that the gun was not his. Silver also said Ja expressed remorse for his actions. “He made it clear to me that he has learned from the incident, and he understands his obligations and responsibilities to his team and the NBA community, as it extends well beyond his play on the court.”
The Grizzlies played at Denver on March 3. Shortly after, around 5 am the next day, Morant went live on Instagram from inside the strip club in Glendale, Colorado. The video quickly spread as the drama escalated into consequences.
The Grizzlies said that Morant would miss at least two games in their initial prediction. Just hours later, Morant released a statement through the agency, stating he takes full responsibility for his actions and that he would take time away to seek help.
ESPN later reported that Morant sought some counseling at a Florida facility. Jenkins mentioned that “There’s going to be some stuff over the next couple of days that he’ll be working on.”
Morant’s two-game absence preceded the team’s announcement that he would miss at least four more games. Morant is currently averaging 27.1 points and 8.2 assists per game this season in a Memphis team that entered the number two spot in the Western Conference.
Not The Only Time This Season
This incident marked the second time, in recent weeks, that Morant was the subject of the league’s investigation. Morant’s behavior warranted investigation after a January 29th incident in Memphis, where his friend was banned from home games for an entire year.
The incident followed a game where they went against the Indiana Pacers. USA Today and The Indianapolis Star reported that multiple Pacers members were pointed at a red dot. Also, The Athletic reported that a Pacers’ security official believed that the laser was attached to a gun.
The NBA then reported that the suspected individuals were banned from the area but said that the investigative team didn’t prove that anyone was threatened with a weapon. Ja and a close friend are also involved in a lawsuit in which a 17-year-old alleged that the pair assaulted him.
