The Memphis Grizzlies have suspended Ja Morant from all team activities following the circulation of a video on social media on Saturday night. The video showed the star guard holding a gun. The suspension is pending a league review. The NBA suspended Morant over a similar incident two months ago. The team did not provide any further comment.
Video on Instagram Live
During an Instagram Live session on Morant’s friend Davonte Pack’s account, the All-Star was seen flashing a handgun while riding in the passenger seat of a car and singing along with a rap song. The video has been deleted since then.
Off-court Incidents
Ja Morant has been involved in several off-court incidents over the past year. He left the Grizzlies and entered a counseling program in March after a video showed him holding a gun while intoxicated at a Denver club when the Grizzlies were in town to play the Nuggets. He was eventually suspended eight games after meeting with NBA commissioner Adam Silver for his “irresponsible, reckless and potentially very dangerous” conduct.
Morant is also being sued by a high school prospect after a fight during a pickup game in his backyard where he and his friend Pack are alleged to have punched the boy in the head. The teenager told police that Morant entered his house after the fight and came back outside with a gun in his waistband. Pack was banned from attending games at Memphis’ FedExForum after a postgame confrontation with the Pacers’ traveling party.
After an argument between Morant’s associates and members of the Pacers’ traveling party in the arena’s loading dock area, a red laser was pointed from an SUV in which Morant was riding. An NBA investigation “could not corroborate that any individual threatened others with a weapon.”
In April, following the Grizzlies’ first-round playoff elimination, Morant said he needed to be more disciplined and make better decisions. “Off-the-court issues affected us as an organization pretty much. Just [need] more discipline,” he stated.
The NBA has yet to comment on the latest video. NBA players are prohibited from possessing firearms at any league facility or while traveling on league business.
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