The Memphis Grizzlies' superstar guard Ja Morant has been suspended 8 games without pay for "conduct detrimental to the league." This suspension comes after an incident where Ja Morant flashed a gun on Instagram Live on the morning of March 4, while at a nightclub in Denver, following a March 3 loss to the Denver Nuggets.
The incident went viral shortly after, leading to Morant stepping away from the Grizzlies and would take 2 games off to attempt to rehabilitate himself. However, the NBA began to investigate the situation, as well as the police department in Glendale, Colorado. However, on March 8, the Glendale police announced they could not find evidence that would charge anyone with any crime. With this incident blowing up, Morant would apologize to the NBA world.
"I take full responsibility for my actions last night," Morant stated, as reported by CBS Sports. "I'm sorry to my family, teammates, coaches, fans, partners, the city of Memphis, and the entire Grizzlies organization for letting you down. I'm going to take some time away to get help and work on learning better methods of dealing with stress and my overall well-being."
On March 13, with the investigation of the NBA looming overhead, Morant had entered himself into a counseling program in Florida, league sources had told ESPN. Just two days after this news, Morant was reported to have met with NBA commissioner Adam Silver on the incident, and to discuss "Morant's conduct" and appropriate punishment and discipline. NBA.com states that "NBA Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars and NBPA Executive Director Tamika Tremaglio, among others, attended the meeting." After the meeting, the NBA would release a statement regarding the incident.
The statement explains that "the league did not conclude that the gun at issue belonged to Morant, was brought by him into the nightclub or was displayed by him beyond a brief period of time." It would reinforce that the league and police could not find cause to charge Morant with any crime.
“Ja’s conduct was irresponsible, reckless and potentially very dangerous,” said Silver, as reported by the official statement. “It also has serious consequences given his enormous following and influence, particularly among young fans who look up to him. He has expressed sincere contrition and remorse for his behavior. Ja has also made it clear to me that he has learned from this incident and that he understands his obligations and responsibility to the Memphis Grizzlies and the broader NBA community extend well beyond his play on the court.”
The NBA's 8-game suspension will include the 5 games Morant has already missed as a result of his time away from the team. The statement does explain that Morant's first eligible game back would be the Grizzlies' March 20 matchup against the Dallas Mavericks. However, CBS Sports reports that Morant "is not expected to play in that game, though, as it will be the beginning of his ramp-up."
The incident and proceeding suspension is another unfortunate event in a series of controversies for Morant this season, involving reports of his assault on a teenager and the threatening of a security guard. Despite this, the Grizzlies "are currently fighting to hold onto the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, as they hold a one-game lead over the surging Sacramento Kings. With the Denver Nuggets in the middle of a four-game losing streak, there is a slim chance either Memphis or Sacramento could sneak up to No. 1, but most likely, they will be the No. 2 and 3 seeds."
Morant was named an All-Star this season and is currently averaging 27.1 PPG, 8.2 APG, and 6.0 RPG. Morant's return to action is expected to be within the month of March, barring any further controversy.
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