NBA Commissioner Adam Silver made a significant announcement on June 16, disclosing a 25-game suspension for Ja Morant due to behavior that had a detrimental impact on the league.
The situation unfolded on May 13 when Morant was featured in a video shared on Instagram Live, showing him carrying a firearm while riding in a car with friends. It’s worth noting that earlier in the season, Morant had already received an eight-game suspension for posting a video of himself brandishing a firearm in a Denver strip club. Addressing the issue, Silver expressed his concern in a press release issued in June.
He stated, “Ja Morant’s decision to once again display a firearm on social media is alarming and disconcerting, especially given his prior conduct in March, for which he was suspended for eight games. The potential for other young individuals to emulate Ja’s actions is particularly worrisome.
Under these circumstances, we believe that a 25-game suspension is warranted and sends a clear message that reckless and irresponsible behavior with firearms will not be tolerated.” For those not closely following the NBA, it might be perplexing why such an electrifying player like Morant is worth the trouble.
He is undeniably one of the league’s most thrilling talents, demonstrating his prowess as a scoring machine while actively involving his teammates. Morant possesses a rare combination of playing both above and below the rim. In the previous season, the point guard led the Grizzlies in scoring and assists, averaging 26.2 points per game and 8.1 assists. Morant’s absence on the court and from the Memphis fanbase is a void that cannot be filled by a single player. However, the Grizzlies made moves during the offseason, acquiring former Celtics point guard Marcus Smart in a trade. Smart may not match Morant’s scoring output but is renowned as one of the NBA’s premier defensive players. It’s anticipated that Smart will take on the starting point guard role, while Desmond Bane will likely fill the shooting guard position. Bane is an underappreciated scorer who is expected to see an increase in shot attempts during Morant’s absence.