Ja Morant suspended for 8 games
 

What do y'all make of the situation and the suspension? He could be back next week.

I'm from Memphis, born and raised. I love the Grizzlies. Just when you think they have the guy to build around, this has to happen. It's just Memphis in microcosm. Always a day late, dollar short, or...stupidity.

Personally I can't imagine being such an immature person. This guy has millions of dollars, is an elite athlete but all he really wants in life is for people to think he's tough. So bizarre.

Great talent on the court, lot's of issues off. I hope he gets the help he needs and doesn't end up like so many others.

For some reason seeing the video reminded me of the tragedy of Aaron Hernandez.

+1 Agreed

want to see him succeed but he is bringing this on himself
and he will most likely miss out on $39 mill in his next contract as a result.
costly mistake to dance with a gun

Recipe for disaster in each and every sport and entertainment career.

Player leaves the bad neighborhood and criminal element. In the spirit of "keeping it real" they stupidly bring it with them. Like bringing bedbugs to your dorm at Oxford on purpose.

Morant had a middle-class upbringing in Dalzell, South Carolina. Far from a "bad neighborhood"

I'm believer that everyone is an individual and people make their own choices. For every person identified as being from a bad neighborhood, every other person from that neighborhood manages to not do things that put them in situations like this.

The reality is he will be back soon and playing games in the playoffs and it will all be forgotten unless he does something stupid in the future.
Great players get extra leeway in all sports especially for their own team’s fans

Take a look at the stats for Crestwood High School in Sumter. 100% economically disadvantaged and the entire school on free lunch programs is not exactly a privileged community.

Median household income in Dalzell is 40,750. In my middle class neighborhood just outside Detroit (not in New York or San Fran) it's 138,000. Not sure where you found a description of 40K as middle class, but things must be mighty cheap in Dalzell to have a family living middle class for that.

https://www.usnews.com/education/bes...h-school-17730

But where does the connection come from? I don't know criminal statistics for the town, but I'd be willing to bet 9 out of every 10 people from it are not doing things that this guy is. Seems like this is a personal choice more than anything else. I don't think this behavior is inevitable in any way.

I wouldn't call it privileged either, but I read your comment to suggest that he was raised in a poor urban environment. (If I misunderstood, my apologies.)

One of the popular knocks against Morant for his recent shenanigans has been that he is essentially "playing at" being about that tough, street guy life while having been raised in a stable family home in a semi-rural/suburban environment.

He's choosing to take the low road gangsta life which shows a lack of intelligence, selfishness bordering on narcissism, with very little critical thinking skills. The world needs less people like him, privileged, under privileged, black white, doesn't matter. There are so many more black and white athletes trying to make a difference in society that douchebags like this guy should get no press at all.

it really not about street life..it about being young with money and being able to be out late at night ....many cultures all races living that life do foolish things....i believe this is going to hurt college football and college hoops as well ...you will see more upsets then ever and wierd teams winning championships...it will be more as to who can 'control' their elite rich stars off the field/court and who can recruit them as having a big program is nice but money and other things now can bring anyone anywhere..

I made similar mistakes when I was young although I didn't have the money, its about personal responsibility and the person you want to be. I don't expect the the people I harmed to ever or give me or give me a pass, neither should he.

He should have been suspended longer in my opinion

But he is make and hopefully he learns from it and moves on and does not repeat it.

Although sadly I think this will happen again

Surprised?!

of course not just as always disappointed.

only good news is this might cost him approx $39 mill. IF he does not make the all NBA Team (because of not enough games) then he loses the kicker on the contract that when he sign an extension it is not at the threshold that the $39 mill would have been there

Think you nailed it on the head as this was front page of Instagram and just about everywhere today. Not exactly sure how the league will like him brandishing on a live feed.

Trying so hard to be something he's not. I guess no one ever explained to him that guns aren't toys. Not a good look for the NBA with the country averaging more than one mass shooting per day. I'm guessing the suspension will be much more significant this time

I'm sure Mr Morant has gone through a gun safety training class and has a valid CnC permit, fine upstanding citizen/role model that he is..
One thing for certain is a standing ovation from the idiotic Grizzlies fans after he gets back from his suspension like they did last time.

Did they really do that?! That's crazy

Classy! Not much else to cheer for that franchise, I guess

Wow and sadly it happened sooner than I would have thought.

He was suspended today from team activities. But since it is the off season for him now it means nothing.
The NBA is reviewing. Hopefully they can take some more substantial action but not sure what they can or cannot do based on the CBA.

But until he decides to change his circle of influence this will continue to happen. He already cost himself $39 million from the first one by missing the 25% contractor kick if he made All NBA team.

Bad PR for him (costing him potential endorsements) and bad PR for the league. But since he is a great player his opportunities will keep coming

Bad decision after bad decision....and the VERY wrong crowd to hang with.

This is going to end very badly for Morant.

OK, dude is an idiot, but what is the basis for a lengthy suspension? Previously, he brandished a gun while working for the Grizzlies, so he expressly violated his obligation to the team and the league. Assuming he legally owns the gun and is not at an NBA facility or otherwise engaged in NBA related business, and further assuming he is abiding by the laws of whatever state he is in at the time of the video, what exactly has he done "wrong?"

Again, very stupid. Horrible look for him. But, there are plenty of current and former players that have been photographed holding firearms. HOFer Karl Malone does it all the time.

Comparing Karl Malone to this is a completely silly argument. Staged indoor photos or hunting photos is a world away from being in a vehicle waving a gun around on a live video feed to a rap song, especially if that car was on a road (which I can't tell). If you don't see that, then you have an agenda you are attempting to subterfuge in your comment.

In my state I would most likely be charged with brandishing and additional items if it was on a public road. Tennessee does not have a brandishing law, so there may be nothing illegal here. However, you can guarantee that no logical professional franchise in any sport provides multi-million dollar contracts or even base salary contracts without morality clauses.

On or off season every sport has faced league suspensions for issues they have not faced charges for, or had charges dropped. That is up to the player and the union to fight after the suspension is given.

The Grizzlies have a visual problem with the league offices already for having multiple players with visibility issues with both Ja and Dillion Brooks. The latter not having the talent to overlook it, is likely out of the league. Ja has a lead the length of his talent with the team, which has been shown to be pretty darn long. The league does not care a bit when they have a visibility issue about his ticket sales.

This issue is going to be front and center for the commissioner, and he is going to want to look actionable. I would expect another minimum 10 games or a full month suspension to start the season for this being second major strike. I do not think it unreasonable to foresee any third strike being a full season and a request for reinstatement.

The last cost him a supermax bonus as he didn't get voted all-NBA, as well as more in missed endorsements. This will hit his pockets again as his Nike contract that previously had to pull his commercials last time is likely going to be ended based on the strength of the response they took with Kyrie.

I honestly hope he can turn it around, this is a very bad path to be walking for him.

We will have to let the process play out. But there is talk that the NBA will suspend him it is more a matter or how long. I do not know the CBA and I do not know the rule violation but there is talk of a minimum of 25 games. and listening to Sports talk Radio (Stephen A Smith) he is claiming there are executives inside the NBA office that 1 year but it most likely not be anywhere near that.

Also Nike has suspended their partnership with Ja Morant (not voided/ended) just suspended.

It is up to Ja if he is really going to make the right life choices. Even if he says he is sorry and working thru it (like back in March) less people will believe him.

To the poster who asked what he did wrong I would say the NBA might have the position that he’s not a safe person to have in an arena amongst fans therefore the league might see it in their best interests to suspend him and keep him away from both fans, stadium workers, game officials, opponents and even his own teammates.

and remember this is not the only incident with a gun(2nd time)

and he had 2 issues the prior summer one at a mall and one related to a pickup basketball game he had with a highschool basketball player

the link below has those details

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/...phyfujzeympscm

There is also the incident where multiple Pacers personnel claim that Morant's friend (the same guy who filmed the latest gun incident) pointed a laser sighting from a gun at their team bus. The NBA claims not to have found any proof of that, but that incident looks waaay worse in light of this new video. Proof that these guys are playing around with guns irresponsibly.

Wow forgot about that one. That means 5 incidents or "alleged" incidents involving Ja and his friends

To many incidents, to much bad PR for him and the league. He needs to be held accountable and perhaps it needs to be longer than shorter.

But he also needs to get his life in order.

25 Game Suspension

and a follow up video that it was a toy light gun

Cost him $40 million in bonus and now $8 million for the 25 games.

His sponsors are staying with him for

Great on the court but has issues handling himself and his image

NBAPA is against the 25 games and is discussing options

The Saga never ends

Morant apparently implied to friends in a video that it was a toy gun by sending a video to people he knew of him using a fake Glock that is actually a lighter.

The setting of the first video, his friends reaction in the second video and trying to turn the camera away immediately, and the long time delay to come up with this excuse makes it seem difficult to believe.

He should have got a full season for this dangerous idiocy, in my personal opinion.

I spent my entire teen years participating in competitive shooting with numerous state wins, both skeet and pistol precision/steel. I have a very extensive collection to this day and practice regularly and belong to 4 associations/clubs.

I would feel comfortable betting it all that that lighter line is complete and utter bs just by watching the video and comparing frame sizes and general builds. The gun he uses clearly reflects the two tone between the steel upper assembly and the polymer lower, the lighter is uniform as it is made of one single material. Anyone buying into this excuse is clueless and this makes it worse in my mind as he still is taking no responsibility.

25 games was a joke.

Actually I wanted more but when you see the list of other suspended and # of games for their infractions the number seems fair.
However, the fact that the players association is goin to fight it to get it reduced is bad optics for them and the league.
If they fight it it will probably be reduced to 15 to 20 games. But to me bad PR for that

I do not believe this softly given excuse either. The first video, where he is brandishing in the strip club, is obviously a different gun.

While he has a natural born right to an ability to protect himself and a constitutionally given right to carry a firearm, brandishing it in public is dangerous and illegal everywhere. Waving a gun around in a strip club is illegal in the state in which he did it.

If I was a complete moron and went out and waved a gun around a strip club and then around my friends in one of their cars, I would have law enforcement raid my house and seize my property (my state waves due process for firearm seizures), before being arrested and charged. I would probably get some brief prison time. I would lose my job and become pretty much unhirable. Morant is lucky he is so privileged and does not have to follow the rules we poors have to follow or experience any real repercussions for his stupidity and gross negligence.