NBA fans won’t see Ja Morant and his high flying dunks for the foreseeable future. Speaking to reporters before Sunday’s match against the Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies Head Coach Taylor Jenkins said the team has no definitive timeline for when Morant can play again after the second pick in the 2019 NBA Draft received a two-game suspension.
The suspension came on the heels of the NBA launching an investigation after Morant was shown on his Instagram Live video holding what appeared to be a gun inside a nightclub. Prior to the Instagram incident, Morant was also accused of attacking a 17-year-old boy near his home. The 23-year-old guard claimed it was an act of self-defense after the younger boy allegedly threatened him.
Colorado police have now entered the picture as they’re also investigating the situation surrounding the Instagram Live video. Police are looking into whether or not Ja Morant violated any state gun laws. And since the NBA has strict rules against firearms, Morant could be suspended for even longer should the association deem his actions violated league rules.
The Impact
The Ja Morant gun saga has become a puzzle that NBA fans and observers find hard to wrap their heads around. After all, Ja Morant is one of the most exciting players this season averaging 27.1 points, 8.2 assists, six rebounds, one steal, and 46.3% field goal shooting on the year. He’s signed to a max deal, and is one of only a handful of athletes on the planet that has his own Nike signature shoe line. Why he would risk it all with questionable off court actions has left even his staunchest of supporters bewildered.
While the Grizzlies sit in second place in the Western Conference standings with a 38-25 record, they’re also now on a two-game losing streak. The Grizzlies have a 4-5 record in games this season without their star point guard. With a potentially longer suspension looming, the problems seem to be piling on.
Aside from a suspended Ja Morant, the Grizzlies also have multiple players on the injured list. On March 4th, Brandon Clarke sustained a season-ending left Achilles tear. Steven Adams also missed the Clippers game due to a knee injury while Vince Williams Jr. and Jake LaRavia are listed as day-to-day.
Speaking of Adams, the veteran forward reportedly led a players-only meeting before Morant’s Instagram video came out. During said meeting, Adams encouraged his teammates to show better discipline and stay away from going out while on the road. And you can’t blame Adams for saying that as Memphis currently sports a 12-20 record away from FedEx Forum.
Then, the video came out. One can only wonder how the relationship between Morant and his teammates will work out following this incident.
With no timetable for his return, and multiple investigations happening at the same time, it’s no guarantee that Morant will suit up following his two game absence. Should the Colorado police investigation conclude that Morant violated gun laws, that’s another problem altogether.
Regardless of the results of the ongoing investigations, Ja Morant’s image as a basketball player has already taken a hit. In the hours following the release of the video, celebrities, athletes, and supporters alike weighed in on the matter, many of which encouraged Morant to change his inner circle.
Only time will tell if the young star will heed that advice or not.
-Iggy Gonzales
Photo: All-Pro Reels. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.