Ja Morant has found himself in a lot of hot water as of late. It did not get better after Memphis’ loss to the number one seed in the Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets. The team blew an eight point lead they had at halftime. Now, the one seed in the west is seemingly out of reach for the Grizzlies barring a miracle happening. However, this was far from the biggest headline after this game. Early next morning, Ja Morant was on Instagram Live flashing a firearm at a Denver night club. This incident certainly did not go unnoticed especially since he was already facing allegations of threatening a 17-year old with a firearm last offseason. The team has now suspended him for at least two games and Morant has issued a public apology.
Grizzlies’ Ja Morant Suspended Two Games
Ja Morant’s Instagram Live Incident and Other Allegations
Many have been criticizing Morant for his actions as of late. Him brandishing a firearm on his Instagram Live story is just the latest in a string of actions. As alluded to earlier, he has been accused of threating a teenager during a pickup basketball game last offseason. Following that, a story recently broke that alleged Morant and nine other members of his group threatened mall security after a dispute occurred earlier that morning between his mother and a Finish Line employee.
Some of Morant’s other controversial decisions can range as far as back as the NBA Bubble. He has came under heat for a couple of his tweets during his time with the Grizzlies. He once tweeted “It’s free to see how these hollows feel,” after he engaged with a fan on Twitter last year. Morant also once tweeted “F**k 12,” back in the NBA Bubble which was a reference to police during a time of heightened police brutality awareness. With all of this in mind, Ja Morant is starting to become a repeat offender in this league which is unfortunate for fans to see.
Morant’s Season so Far
Despite his trouble, Ja Morant has been having a terrific season on the court. He made the All-Star Game again and is putting up numbers of 27.1 points, 8.2 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. He is also averaging career-highs in box plus/minus rating, defensive rating, and defensive win shares. Not to mention, he has been crucial to Memphis’ success this year and some have even considered them a dark horse team to win the Western Conference. It should also be noted that this suspension came from the organization, it is still unclear whether the NBA will level it’s own suspension on Morant. The Grizzlies have a great shot this year at the title, but if Morant doesn’t settle down soon, it could all spiral out of control.
