Ja Morant ready to rejoin Grizzlies, NBA suspension over
FILE - Memphis Grizzlies' Ja Morant is shown during an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023, in Memphis, Tenn. The NBA has suspended Memphis Grizzilies guard Ja Morant eight games without pay, after determining that his holding a firearm at a club in suburban Denver earlier this month was “conduct detrimental to the league.” Morant will miss his sixth game on Wednesday, March 15, 2023, when the Grizzlies play in Miami. Credit: AP/Karen Pulfer Focht
Ja Morant's eight-game NBA suspension is over, and the two-time All-Star guard can rejoin the Memphis Grizzlies.
He is expected to be on the bench Monday night when Memphis hosts Dallas, though it's unclear exactly when he'll play with the earliest being Wednesday. The Grizzlies announced Sunday that Morant will not play against the Mavericks because of a "Return to Competition Reconditioning.”
The Grizzlies know Morant has been working out, trying to be ready for this moment. Memphis was off on Sunday after back-to-back wins, and coach Taylor Jenkins said he would like Morant to practice or at least participate in a shootaround before seeing game action.
“We’ll see when he gets back in the team environment,” Jenkins said Saturday night before the Grizzlies beat Golden State 133-119. "Our anticipation is he’s at least out for Monday. We’ll cross the bridge on Wednesday as we get a little bit closer.”
The Grizzlies host Houston on Wednesday in the first of two games in Memphis.
Memphis went 5-3 without Morant, who first stepped away from the team March 4, hours after he livestreamed himself on Instagram brandishing a gun at strip club in Colorado following a game against the Denver Nuggets. Then the Grizzlies said on March 8 that Morant would be sidelined four more games.
Morant met with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver in New York before the NBA announced his suspension March 15, including the first six games he had already missed.
Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Friday, March 17, 2023, in San Antonio. Credit: AP/Darren Abate
The investigation found Morant was “holding a firearm in an intoxicated state” — but did not prove that the gun was owned by Morant “or was displayed by him beyond a brief period.” The NBA also did not find that Morant had the gun with him on Memphis’ flight to Denver, or that he possessed the gun in any NBA facility.
Police in Colorado conducted their own investigation and concluded there was no reason to charge Morant with a crime after looking into the circumstances surrounding the video.
Morant said in an ESPN interview on March 15 that the gun was not his and that he takes full responsibility for his actions.
But the strip club incident wasn't Morant's first embarrassing off-court decision. The Grizzlies had been talking with Morant about his off-court conduct even before the March 4 incident.
FILE - Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) plays in the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 3, 2023, in Denver. The NBA has suspended Memphis Grizzilies guard Ja Morant eight games without pay, after determining that his holding a firearm at a club in suburban Denver earlier this month was “conduct detrimental to the league.” Morant will miss his sixth game on Wednesday, March 15, 2023, when the Grizzlies play in Miami. Credit: AP/David Zalubowski
“I can see the image that I painted over myself with my recent mistakes,” Morant told ESPN. “But in the future, I’m going to show everybody who Ja really is, what I’m about and change this narrative that everybody got.”
Morant, whose suspension cost him $669,000 in salary and possibly a chance to max out the five-year contract he signed last July by making the All-NBA team, also has to keep working on himself away from basketball.
Morant said he underwent counseling during his suspension.
“He’d probably be the first one to tell you, ‘Nothing is going to change immediately overnight. I’m going to learn and grow, but I’m going to get the skills and methods to do that both personally and professionally,’” Jenkins said.
On the court, the Grizzlies are pleased with the growth of the 23-year-old Morant. After Memphis selected him with the No. 2 draft pick in 2019, he was named the 2020 NBA Rookie of the Year and last year earned NBA Most Improved Player honors.
The two-time All-Star still ranks ninth in the league averaging 27.1 points and has six triple-doubles this season.
He rejoins a Memphis team in middle of competitive postseason race. The Grizzlies, who were second in the Western Conference before the March 4 incident, are tied with Sacramento — four games back of West-leading Denver with 12 games remaining.
Jenkins said he and his staff need to talk with the medical team to see where Morant is physically. He said they must decide if they can get in a practice before throwing the guard back into game action.
The coach knows Morant will be “chomping at the bit” to rejoin his teammates, but the Grizzlies have a plan ready for his return.
Jenkins said it all starts with what’s in Morant's head and in his heart.
“He’s doing a really good job recognizing the improvements he’s making,” the coach said, “and that he has to continue to make.”
___
Associated Press freelancer Clay Bailey contributed to this report.
