After nearly two months of waiting while the NBA conducted its investigation, league announced a 25-match suspension Friday for Grizzly Memphis protect Ja Morant to start the 2023-24 season.
In March, Morant, 23, was given an eight-match ban after an Instagram Live video showed him displaying a gun in a Denver-area nightclub. In the days that followed, Morant spent time at a consulting facility in Florida. Two months later, the two-time All-Star was filmed posing with a gun in a car. The Grizzlies subsequently suspended Morant from team activities and he has remained so ever since.
“Ja Morant’s decision to once again use a gun on social media is alarming and disturbing given his similar behavior in March for which he received an eight-game ban,” said NBA commissioner Adam. Silver said in the league’s statement. “The potential for other young people to imitate Ja’s behavior is particularly concerning. In these circumstances, we believe a 25-match suspension is appropriate and make it clear that engaging in reckless behavior Leadership and irresponsibility with guns will not be tolerated.”
But the question remains. Why 25 games? Where will Morant be in his season and time? How will the Grizzlies cover his absence?
Here’s everything you need to know about the suspension, from how the NBA determines its severity to how it affects both the Morant and the Grizzlies when it comes to free agent transitions. NBA insiders Bobby Marks, Kevin Pelton, Tim MacMahon and Brian Windhorst provide the latest:
Why did the league choose 25 games?
The penalty is in line with the league’s position after Miles Bridges was suspended in April. Bridges suspended for 30 games, 20 are deemed to have served in the 2022-23 season, for not contesting the domestic violence felony charge. Silver is said to have said that Morant’s actions were a safety issue, not a legal one, which was the case with Bridges.
The league is taking the view that Morant’s actions are reckless and cause him and the NBA to be viewed negatively, but the incident does not reach the level of Bridges’ offense. Morant’s suspension is the second-longest suspension given during Silver’s 10-season tenure after Bridges, along with five players banned for 25 games for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
The NBPA, in its view, believes the suspension is inconsistent with past precedent. “As for the discipline imposed, keeping him out of action until December and requiring certain conditions not to be spelled out before he can return, we believe that is excessive and inappropriate for a number of reasons including the facts related to this particular incident, and that it is unfair and consistent with past discipline in our league,” chief executive Tamika Tremaglio said in a statement. “We’ll be with Ja exploring all the options and next steps.”
What precedent, if any, exists for this type of suspension?
Gilbert Arena and Javaris Crittenton were all suspended for the remainder of the season in January 2010 following a gun-related incident in Washington shaman dressing room. Technically, Arenas’ suspension (50 games) is technically longer than Crittenton’s (38 games) because Arenas was suspended for 12 games before then-NBA commissioner David Stern issued a formal ruling. In Morant’s case, the gun is not on the team’s property, but this is the second offence, following the March incident.
What rule(s) did Morant break? And is there an appeals process?
The NBA has broad powers if it believes a player’s behavior is detrimental to the league. “When we have a standard for detrimental behavior, at the end of the day it’s a standard based on what we consider the value of this league and our expectations from our players. me about the image we’re portraying to the fans,” Silver said ahead of Game 1 of the 2023 NBA Finals. “So it’s not a legal standard. It’s a private organization standard.” As part of the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, Morant has 30 days to file an appeal, after which an arbitrator will decide if the suspension is upheld. original or reduced.
What will Morant have to do to return?
Morant briefly enrolled in a counseling program in Florida after the incident in March, and he says he has learned to better manage stress. Silver has made it clear that the federation will be involved in approving the new advice Morant must receive. “Prior to his return to competition, he will be required to develop and complete a program with the league that directly addresses the circumstances that led him to repeat this disruptive behavior,” Silver said in a statement. father of the tournament on Friday.
What contact, if any, are the players, coaches and Grizzlies office allowed to have with Morant during his suspension?
The exact terms of Morant’s participation in private team activities have yet to be decided, according to federation officials. He will not be allowed to participate in any public activities or play in pre-season games. But in the past, players with long-term suspensions were allowed to use team facilities for treatment and training, and that can happen here. Under the general terms of the suspension, the only restriction is that players are not allowed into the arena starting two hours before the match.
Where does Morant spend his season? Do we expect him to be there during the suspension?
Previously, Morant spent most of his time resting at his home in the suburbs of Memphis. The Grizzlies and the federation office will likely have some opinions on where he will be this summer and this suspension. In his statement released on Friday, Morant said: “I am taking my break and my suspension continues to have an effect on my mental health and decision-making ability. I will also train to be ready for the field when I can return to the field.”
How does this affect Morant’s 2023-24 contract and salary?
The financial impact is seismic. Unlike the previous suspension that cost Morant $83,583 per game and a total of nearly $669,000, the current suspension increases to $304,545 per game and totals over $7.6 million. There are two reasons for the significant increase. The first is that due to a suspension of 20 games or more, the amount per game is equal to 1/110 of his 2023-24 season salary. The eight-match suspension for the season makes Morant only 1/145 of his 2022-23 salary per game. And second, Morant is set to enter Year One of the $194 million rookie maximum extension he signed last July. His salary increased from $12.1 million to $33.5 million.
But the actual cost of these suspensions is much greater. Morant was not elected to the All-NBA team this past season and as a result lost a $39 million contract bonus that would have been worth more than $230 million to that five-year contract. If Morant is not suspended, he is likely to be in the team, as he did last season.
And it is not possible to calculate the out-of-court revenue lost to damage to his reputation. Morant’s two biggest partners are Powerade and Nike. Powerade, in March, pulled his ad, while Nike, for now, is on his side. “We are pleased that Ja is taking responsibility and prioritizing his health,” Nike said Friday in a statement. “We will continue to support him on and off the field.” But essentially, Morant has lost nearly $50 million in wages from these incidents and will also be ineligible for next year’s All-NBA title.
What are the salary caps/luxury tax implications of the suspension for the Grizzlies?
The Grizzlies will receive the luxury tax and list relief, and 50% of the suspended amount will be credited to the Grizzlies’ luxury tax — but at the end of the season. Memphis will also receive another spot in the squad with Morant’s suspension. Any player with an NBA suspension of six games or more will be placed on the team’s suspension list after the fifth game of the suspension.
With the start of the new league year on July 1, how could the suspension affect the Grizzlies’ free agent plans?
Grizzlies have backup Tyus Jones on the list to replace Morant. Where the suspension could hurt is that the Grizzlies have a clear need for the small forward with Dillon Brooks is set to join the free agent and his return is unlikely. With Morant suspended, is a trading asset like Jones still needed? In addition to trade execution, Memphis had a $12.2 million average non-taxable exception and three picks in Thursday’s draft (8 p.m. ET, ESPN and ESPN apps), including both first round.
What impact will the suspension have on Memphis’ prospects for 2023-24? Who will replace Morant in the lineup?
Morant’s suspension puts the Grizzlies in trouble in the West, but Memphis will still have a quality starting line-up. The Grizzlies generally consider Jones the best backup point guard in the league, and he has proven himself to be more than capable of taking on the starting role.
In 22 appearances last season, Jones averaged 16.4 points, 8.1 assists, 1.8 steals and just 1.5 turns while shooting 50% away and 41.5% from a distance of 3 points. The question is how will Memphis handle the backup point defense minutes in Morant’s absence, whether it counts towards starting the guard shot or not Desmond Bane to take on those duties or find another option in draft or free agency.
How did the Grizzlies perform without Morant?
Extraordinary well. The Grizzlies are on a 34-15 streak in Jones-started games over the past two seasons, including knockouts. Morant was a superstar who could have advanced in Memphis, but the Grizzlies defended more firmly and moved the ball better with Jones in the starting line-up.
