Ja Morant receives 25-game suspension by the NBA / News - Basketnews.com

Ja Morant will have to miss the first 25 games of the 2023-24 regular season and also adhere to certain conditions before being reinstated, the NBA announced.

Credit: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images via AFP - Scanpix Credit Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images via AFP - Scanpix

Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant has been suspended 25 games without pay for conduct detrimental to the league, the NBA announced Friday.

Ja Morant

MIN:32.35PTS:26.05 (54.42%)REB:5.94As:8ST:1.14BL:0.26TO:3.38GM:66ProfileNBA2022/2023

Morant’s suspension begins immediately and will remain in effect through the first 25 games of the 2023-24 regular season. Morant will also have to adhere to certain conditions before being reinstated, the NBA said. Additionally, Morant is ineligible to participate in any public league or team activities, including preseason games, during the course of his suspension.

It is the second time he has been suspended in the last three months for showing a firearm on social media, following an eight-game suspension in March.

“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,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement Friday.

“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.”

Morant issued a statement Friday in which he said, in part: “I’ve had time to reflect and realize how much hurt I’ve caused. I want to apologize to the NBA, the Grizzlies, my teammates and the city of Memphis. … I’m spending the offseason and my suspension continuing to work on my own mental health and decision making.

I’m also going to be training so that I’m ready to go when I can be back on the court. … I hope you’ll give me the chance to prove to you over time I’m a better man than what I’ve been showing.”

2-pointers this season

54%31,3Points made:31,3Accuracy:54,2%Place in standings:6Record max:45Record min:17Most made 2FGs:Ja MorantTeamNBAStatisticsSchedule

The Grizzlies said in a statement: “We respect the league’s decision to suspend Ja Morant following this latest episode. Our standards as a league and team are clear, and we expect that all team personnel will adhere to them.”

Morant posed with a firearm in a car during a live-streamed video on May 13, less than two months after he received an eight-game suspension from the NBA for live streaming a video on March 4 in which he displayed a firearm while in an intoxicated state at a Denver-area nightclub.

The league office found that, on May 13, Morant intentionally and prominently displayed a gun while in a car with several other individuals as they were leaving a social gathering in Memphis. Morant wielded the firearm while knowing that he was being recorded and that the recording was being live streamed on Instagram Live, despite having made commitments to the NBA and public statements that he would not repeat the conduct for which he was previously disciplined.

On May 16, Morant issued a statement taking full accountability for his actions.

“For Ja, basketball needs to take a back seat at this time,” Silver said. “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 is one of the league’s rising stars, the 2020 Kia Rookie of the Year and two-time All-Star in his first four seasons. He was instrumental in the Grizzlies finishing with 51 wins and the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference last season.

If Morant were to miss the first 25 games of the season and fulfill the conditions the NBA requires, he likely wouldn’t be back in the lineup until sometime in early December.

What's more, he won't be able to reach the 65-game minimum that players have to play to make all-NBA and be for MVP consideration. Now, Morant is out of consideration for any of those post-season awards. Plus, his ability to get a supermax deal is based on making All-NBA. He's already out of the mix for next year.

Last season, Memphis was 16-9 through its first 25 games. Morant averaged 26.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 8.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game in 61 games in 2022-23. In his career, Morant has never played in more than 67 games in a season.

After the first incident, the NBA suspended Morant for eight games. The Grizzlies star apologized and briefly sought counseling during his absence.

After the more recent incident, the Memphis guard issued a statement in which he said “I know I’ve disappointed a lot of people who have supported me. … I recognize there is more work to do.” The Grizzlies suspended him “from all team activities,” a ban still in effect.

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