One day after Marc J. Spears said Ja Morant could miss the rest of the season, the star guard sounds like he may be eligible to return just four games from now.
That’s after Wednesday’s news that Morant has been suspended by the NBA for eight games according to ESPN, but that the six games he’s missed since March 3 will count towards that total, including Wednesday’s. That means Morant, unless he faces further consequences from the Grizzlies, would be eligible to return vs. the Mavericks on Monday.
The official wording for why Morant has been suspended is “conduct detrimental to the league,” according to Adrian Wojnarowski. Morant met with commissioner Adam Silver on Wednesday, after being released from a counseling program in Florida.
“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 was originally suspended by the Grizzlies indefinitely after a string of gun-related accusations, culminating with a video the guard took on Instagram Live that showed him waving a firearm at a strip club.
The Grizzlies are 3-2 with the stretch since Morant left the team.