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NBA superstar Ja Morant has been suspended for eight games without pay for conduct detrimental to the league, the NBA announced Wednesday.
The Memphis Grizzlies guard has been away from the team since he went live on his Instagram account brandishing a gun at a Denver nightclub on March 4. Morant was excused from team activities while the NBA and Glendale Police Department investigated the incident.
It was announced last week that Morant would not face any criminal charges in Colorado after the police’s investigation while the NBA continued theirs. Morant released a statement saying he was going to use the time away from the team to seek the help he needed.
“I take full responsibility for my actions last night. I’m sorry to my family, teammates, coaches, fans, partners, the city of Memphis, and the entire Grizzlies organization for letting you down. I’m going to take some time away to get help and work on learning better methods of dealing with stress and my overall well-being,” the apology stated.
Ja Morant out for 8 games
Morant met with NBA commissioner Adam Silver Wednesday as part of the final steps before returning to play.
“Ja’s conduct was irresponsible, reckless and potentially very dangerous,” said Silver in a statement.
“It also has serious consequences given his enormous following and influence, particularly among young fans who look up to him. He has expressed sincere contrition and remorse for his behavior. Ja has also made it clear to me that he has learned from this incident and that he understands his obligations and responsibility to the Memphis Grizzlies and the broader NBA community extend well beyond his play on the court.”
Morant will be eligible to return to play Monday against the Dallas Mavericks as the Grizzlies look to secure a final push to make the NBA postseason.