Mark Harris
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Ja Morant will be handed a 25-game suspension by the NBA for his second offense of flashing a gun on Instagram Live. The suspension comes exactly 34 days after the video of Morant holding a gun inside a vehicle went viral.
The NBA released a statement about Morant’s suspension and confirmed he will not be paid during his time away from the Memphis Grizzlies.
“The league office found that, on May 13, Morant intentionally and prominently displayed a gun while in a care with several other individuals as they were leaving a social gathering in Memphis,” the statement reads in part.
“Morant wielded the firearm while knowing that he was being recorded and that the recording was being live streamed on Instagram Live, despite having made commitments to the NBA and public statement that he would not repeat the conduct for which he was previously disciplined.”
Morant was immediately suspended by the Memphis Grizzlies and barred from all team activities after the video first appeared on May 13. The Grizzlies’ season ended on April 28 after they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the opening round of the NBA playoffs.
Many assumed that Morant was looking at a lengthy suspension, perhaps the entire 2023-24 season, given that he was suspended eight games for a similar gun-waving incident in March. NBA commissioner Adam Silver told fans to “assume the worst” in regards to Morant’s pending suspension, but most NBA fans wouldn’t categorize 25 games as the worst-possible outcome.
Ja Morant And His Season Of Dumb Decisions
The fact that Morant was not charged with a crime on either occasion certainly appears to have played a role in the NBA’s decision to suspend the point guard for 25 games as opposed to a half or full season.
Waving a gun on Instagram Live wasn’t the only unruly behavior Morant has engaged in over the last year and change.
Morant was sued in September 2022 by a 17-year-old who accused him of punching him and allegedly intimidating him with a gun during a pickup basketball game.
A report from The Washington Post alleged that Morant and nine of his friends allegedly threatened a security guard at a Memphis mall. A later report indicated that the alleged altercation began after Morant’s mom summoned him to a shoe store inside the mall because they didn’t have what she was looking for.
We also can’t forget about members of Morant’s entourage allegedly threatening members of the Indiana Pacers back in February with a red-laser sight gun.
Sometimes a dude can just be his own worst enemy. Hope he gets his sh*t straightened out. He should absolutely own a gun, carry it whenever he wants (as long as he’s not intoxicated), and feel free to show it to his friends in a safe way. But what he’s doing – especially given the magnifying glass he’s under – screams of some sort of mental health issues he’s experiencing. I hope he get the help he needs (and better friends).
What a joke. Adam Silver is spineless pussy. If I’m Memphis, I’d go ahead and cut/trade him and cut my losses as a whole. Great talent but dude plays above the rim and kinda lacks a skillset outside of that. He’s a highlight reel player (i.e. Allen Iverson). Once his youth/spring is gone, he’s not gonna be nearly as effective.