We now know the fate of Memphis Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant.
For weeks now, people have been wondering about the sort of punishment Morant would face for brandishing a firearm again on social media.
Now it’s official.
According to Shams Charania, the NBA is suspending Morant for 25 games at the start of the 2023-24 season due to his recent actions.
It was also reported that the suspension will come “with conditions for his return”, according to Adrian Wojnarowski.
The NBA is suspending Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant for 25 games, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 16, 2023
It is not surprising to hear the news on Friday morning, as the Finals are over and the weekend is quickly approaching.
The league wanted to release this decision between the conclusion of the championship and before the hype for next week’s draft truly begins.
Many people expected Morant to miss more than 25 games.
Some even predicted he would sit out for half the season or more.
But the 25-game punishment is still quite severe.
Not only does it hurt his team and keep him off the court for weeks, but it also prohibits him from receiving end-of-season awards.
Because of the league’s new collective bargaining agreements, players have to participate in a set number of games to be eligible for those awards.
The big question now is what sort of conditions will Morant have to meet to get back in his Grizzlies jersey.
The even bigger question is if he will actually learn from this situation or if he will repeat it again.
The Grizzlies will be in a tricky position without their lead star for so many games and this could truly jeopardize their chances of making the playoffs.
Hopefully, when Morant’s suspension is concluded, he will return as a changed player ready to put this behind him.
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