June 16th 2023.
The NBA has suspended Memphis Grizzlies' all-star guard Ja Morant for the first 25 games of the 2023-24 season due to conduct detrimental to the league. This will be the third suspension for Morant, who is only 23 years old.
The first suspension came in March, when he held up a handgun in an Instagram-live video while at a Denver nightclub. The second suspension was given on May 14th, when a video of him holding a firearm went viral on social media.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver released a statement regarding the suspension, saying, "Ja Morant's decision to once again wield a firearm on social media is alarming and disconcerting given his similar conduct in March for which he was already suspended eight games. The potential for other young people to emulate Ja's conduct is particularly concerning. Under these circumstances, we believe a suspension of 25 games is appropriate and makes clear that engaging in reckless and irresponsible behavior with guns will not be tolerated."
As a consequence, Nike pulled Morant's shoe from its website and shoe app. As part of the suspension, he will be barred from participating in any public league or team activities, including preseason games. He will also be ineligible for any season awards.
Silver continued, "For Ja, basketball needs to take a back seat at this time. Prior to his return to play, he will be required to formulate and fulfill a program with the league that directly addresses the circumstances that led him to repeat this destructive behavior."
Morant was drafted by the Grizzlies with the second pick of the 2019 NBA Draft and went on to win the Rookie of The Year Award following a breakout season. This season, he averaged 26.2 points and helped Memphis secure the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, where they lost in six games to the Los Angeles Lakers.
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