The NBA has suspended Memphis Grizzlies defender Ja Morant for eight games without pay, after determining that his possession of a gun at a club in suburban Denver earlier this month was “conduct detrimental to the league. ”
David Zalubowski/AP
hide captions
switch captions
David Zalubowski/AP
The NBA has suspended Memphis Grizzlies defender Ja Morant for eight games without pay, after determining that his possession of a gun at a club in suburban Denver earlier this month was “conduct detrimental to the league. “
David Zalubowski/AP
MIAMI – The NBA suspended Memphis Grizzlies defender Ja Morant for eight games without pay on Wednesday after determining that his display of firearms at a club in suburban Denver earlier this month was “adverse conduct.” for the tournament.”
Morant will miss Friday’s game when the Grizzlies play in Miami on Wednesday night. He will miss the next two games and qualify again on Monday when Memphis plays Dallas.
The games he has missed will count towards the suspension and Morant will forfeit about $669,000 in wages.
“Ja’s conduct was irresponsible, reckless, and potentially very dangerous,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “It also has serious consequences due to his huge following and influence, especially among young fans who admire him.”
Silver met with Morant in New York before announcing the union’s decision. The Grizzlies were not immediately available for comment; Coach Taylor Jenkins is scheduled to have a standard game Wednesday night in Miami before the game against the Heat.
The league’s investigation, which began almost immediately after the March 4 event in which Morant went live on Instagram, discovered that he was “drunk with a gun” – but did not. proved that the gun was in Morant’s possession “or was on display by him for a short period of time.”
Nor did the league’s investigation find out that Morant had carried the gun on Memphis’s flight to Denver for that game or that he was in possession of the gun while at any NBA facility. Police in Colorado last week said they had reviewed the circumstances surrounding the video and concluded there was no reason to charge Morant.
“He has expressed sincere remorse and remorse for his behavior,” Silver said. “Ja has also made it clear to me that he has learned from this incident and that he understands his obligations and responsibilities to the Memphis Grizzlies and the broader NBA community beyond his play on the court. “
