The Memphis Grizzlies have suspended their star guard, Ja Morant, from all team activities after a video showing him holding a gun began circulating on social media over the weekend. The Grizzlies announced the suspension on Sunday, noting that it is pending a league review. The NBA has not yet commented on the situation.
During an Instagram Live session on Morant’s friend Davonte Pack’s account, the All-Star was seen flashing a handgun while driving and singing along to a rap song. The video has since been deleted. This incident follows a similar one in March where Morant was seen holding a gun whilst intoxicated at a Denver club. As a result, Morant left the Grizzlies and entered a counseling program and was later suspended for eight games by the NBA.
Morant has been involved in several off-court incidents over the past year, including an altercation with a high school prospect during a pickup game in Morant’s backyard. The teenager reported to the police that Morant entered his house after the fight and came back outside with a gun in his waistband. Pack was also banned from attending games at Memphis’ FedExForum after a postgame confrontation with the Pacers’ traveling party.
After the Grizzlies’ first-round playoff elimination, Morant acknowledged that he needed to be more disciplined. He stated that he would work on making better decisions and avoiding negative situations off the court. Morant’s five-year, $194 million max contract is set to begin this coming season, and he has endorsement deals with Nike and Powerade.
The Grizzlies have not provided any further comment on the situation, and more details are yet to emerge. It remains to be seen what the NBA’s response will be following their review of the incident. However, it is clear that Morant’s behavior off the court has been problematic, and he will need to work on improving his decision-making if he wants to avoid further incidents that could harm his career and reputation.
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