Ja Morant suspended 25 games; will miss start of season for Memphis Grizzlies

By
Adam Burke
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Morant suspension was announced on June 16

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver made it clear that he wanted to wait until after the Finals to announce the suspension awaiting Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant. That day came on Friday June 16, when the league released a statement that said Morant is suspended 25 games for “reckless and irresponsible behavior with guns [which] will not be tolerated”.

 

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The NBPA released a statement that called the suspension “excessive and inappropriate for a number of reasons”, further citing that the punishment is not “fair and consistent with past discipline in our league”. The NBPA seems to be planning an appeal of sorts on Morant’s behalf, but the stipulations of the suspension also include guidelines that Morant must “formulate and fulfill a program with the league that directly addresses the circumstances that led him to repeat this destructive behavior.”

Ja Morant suspensions

This new 25-game ban isn’t the first for Morant, who was also suspended eight games in March after he was shown with a firearm during an Instagram Live video. This most recent suspension came after Durant was filmed with a firearm in a friend’s car.

Morant completed counseling after the first suspension as part of his checklist to return, but it took less than two months for another video to come out with Morant holding a gun. Among the league’s concerns is that “the potential for other young people to emulate Ja’s conduct is particularly concerning”.

This suspension will cost Morant over $7.6 million dollars, as his salary rises in a significant way this season from $12.1 million to $33.5 million, as this is the first year of this $194 million rookie max extension.

Memphis Grizzlies odds

Per DraftKings Sportsbook, the Grizzlies went from +1900 to +2200 to win the NBA Title and from +1100 to +1300 to win the Western Conference. The 2023-24 NBA schedule is not out yet, so we don’t know which game Morant will return for, but he will miss the first 25 games, barring an appeal or any additional discipline were another incident to pop up again this summer.

The Grizzlies, who finished second in the Western Conference last season, were 11-10 without Morant in the regular season and playoffs last year.

With the Morant punishment now known, Memphis can focus on the offseason and any transactions that could help the team in his absence or when he returns. The Grizzlies hold the 25th pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft and have some contracts that they can move around, including a $12.2 million non-tax mid-level exception.

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