Why and how long is Ja Morant suspended?
Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant is suspended yet again for flashing a gun in an Instagram Live video...yet again.
No, this article is not from March. Yes, Ja Morant is being suspended for the same offense a second time.
When will Morant’s suspension begin and for how long will it be?
The Memphis Grizzlies’ star point guard Ja Morant can’t seem to stay out of trouble. After a season riddled with drama (punching a teenager, threatening a security guard, amongst other incidents), he’s now in trouble again for flashing a gun in an Instagram Live video. It was exactly that which landed him in an eight-game suspension back in March. Last time, it was at a Colorado night club. This time, in a car with a friend.
Since the Grizzlies lost the first round of playoffs to the Los Angeles Lakers, their 2022-23 season is over. For now, the league is still investigating the incident and the suspension is currently “pending review” so until then, he is suspended from all team activities.
“We are aware of the social media post involving Ja Morant and are in the process of gathering more information,” said NBA spokesperson Mike Bass.
In the video, Morant briefly flashes the gun while sitting in the car with a friend. It’s unclear whether or not the gun is either real or belongs to Morant at this point. It’s also not yet known where or when the video was filmed. Depending on the gun laws in that state as well as the circumstances behind the video, punishments could vary. Last time this happened, it was during a team trip, which violated the NBA’s gun rules. Morant has not yet commented on the video.
After Morant’s initial suspension, he was extremely apologetic and expressed a lot of regret. He even deleted his social media accounts to avoid more drama and said he was working on becoming a better person. During his suspension, he spent time at a counseling facility in Florida to help him “cope with stress” and find better ways to manage negative emotions. He said that the time there helped him, but that he was not “completely better”.
“I don’t condone any type of violence,” Morant said back in March. “But I take full responsibility for my actions. I made a bad mistake and I can see the image that I painted over myself with my recent mistakes. But in the future, I’m going to show everybody who Ja really is, what I’m about and change this narrative.”