The Ja Morant saga took yet another ugly turn last month when he was seen brandishing what looked like a gun on social media yet again. And according to sources around the league, the superstar point guard could be facing a serious suspension for the 2023-24 season.
Ja Morant Could Be Suspended For Half Of Next Season
People around the league believe Ja Morant will be suspended for no less than the first half of the regular season, per @AmicoHoops pic.twitter.com/w61eMJ1UP1
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) June 4, 2023
Morant spent the first few years of his career ascending to the top of the league. He was the second overall pick in the 2019 Draft, but still had something to prove after playing his collegiate career at a smaller school. By averaging 27.4 points and 6.7 assists in 2021-22, Morant earned his first All-Star appearance and his Memphis Grizzlies became one of the tougher teams in the Western Conference.
But off the court issues have begun to creep up on Morant. There were a myriad of incidents during the last season alone, all of which have culminated into what should be an absence that will surely affect his team going forward. There was a battery charge against a minor, allegations of an incident with the Indiana Pacers team bus, and reports of intimidating mall security with threats.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver says they have uncovered additional information on Ja Morant and have made a decision on the investigation, but will announce it after the NBA Finals pic.twitter.com/reHyqOzdqq
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) June 2, 2023
But the biggest stories have been the ones revolving around the firearms. The latest Instagram incident came as a shock to NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who said that he had a lengthy conversation with Morant after the player’s first episode. Silver said that he explained the ramifications of Morant’s actions to him, and that there would be serious repercussions if something were to ever happen again.
Ja Morant gave Silver his word that he would change his ways. But after the second Instagram Live video, it doesn’t seem as though any lesson was learned. Before the start of the NBA Finals, Silver addressed the issue by saying that the league has made a decision, but didn’t want to take away from the teams that are still currently playing.
According to NBA reporter Sam Amico, people around the league believe that Morant is facing a suspension of “no less than half a season.”
This doesn’t come as much of a surprise. Ja Morant was suspended for 8 games the first time, a time in which he used to enter a rehabilitation program. If that was the punishment for the first offense, then it would be safe to believe that the next one will be a far heftier one.