Is Ja Morant suspended? Grizzlies All-Star will be ‘away from team’ after Instagram gun video
Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant will be “off the team” for at least two games after he appeared to brandish a gun in a video on Instagram Live.
The video showed the two-time All-Star with a gun as he partied at a nightclub in the early hours of Saturday morning. It’s unclear where the video was filmed, but the Grizzlies had finished a game in Denver a few hours earlier. Morant dropped 27 points and 10 assists in a 113-97 loss to the Nuggets.
In a statement Saturday, Memphis announced Morant would miss at least two games following the incident.
Those two games will both be played in Los Angeles, first against the Clippers on Sunday night and then against the Lakers on Tuesday night. The Grizzlies return to Memphis on Thursday to face off against the Warriors.
MORE: Grizzlies’ Ja Morant seen brandishing a gun in live Instagram video
Morant released a statement on Saturday apologizing for the incident.
“I take full responsibility for my actions last night,” he wrote. “I’m sorry to my family, teammates, coaches, fans, partners, the city of Memphis and the entire Grizzlies organization for letting you down. I will take some time to get help and work on learning better ways to manage stress and my overall wellbeing.”
Is Ja Morant suspended?
Technically no. He has yet to be disciplined by the league, and the Grizzlies have not officially said they would suspend Morant. He was just “away from the team”.
But Morant could soon be disciplined by the NBA.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski As reported on Saturday, the league has already launched an investigation into the incident. Depending on what it finds, it could face more serious consequences.
As ESPN’s Bobby Marks noted, NBA players are not permitted to own firearms when “travelling on NBA-related business.”
Given that the Grizzlies were playing a game in Denver on Friday night and will be in Los Angeles for a game on Sunday, it’s highly likely that Morant was out and about when the video was shot. That means he would be breaking NBA rules and could be disciplined by the league.
As a foreigner who is in possession of a firearm, he could also face legal consequences.
It’s the latest in a long line of controversy for the star point guard, who was also accused this week of repeatedly punching a teenager in the head and threatening him with a gun during an incident last summer.
MORE: Yes Morant assault allegations, explained
Morant was also involved in an altercation with Pacers team members this January. They claimed a red laser was pointed at them by a car carrying Morant and several others. His agent denied these allegations, and he faced no legal or disciplinary action.
At this point, the earliest we could see Morant back in action is Thursday against the Warriors. But it seems possible that he could be sidelined for much longer.