The Memphis Grizzlies have announced that guard Ja Morant will miss four additional games. The 23-year-old remains away from the Grizzlies in the aftermath of an Instagram Live video posted last weekend to his account that showed Morant wielding a gun.
The Glendale Police Department in Colorado was in charge of the investigation into whether Morant broke any local and state laws while in possession of the weapon. A department spokesperson announced that they had concluded their investigation and were not bringing charges against Morant in a press release from Glendale police.
“Through investigation, the GPD was able to determine the incident took place at Shotgun Willies, located in the City of Glendale, during the club’s lawful operating hours. GPD could not determine that probable cause existed for filing any charges,” read the statement.
Ja’s Current Situation
The announcement helps clear one of the many remaining hurdles for Morant to get back on the court.
Both parties are still waiting to hear whether Morant will face discipline from the league. If found to have violated league rules on the matter, Morant could face a mandatory fifty-game suspension.
The fourth-year guard has been the talk of the NBA in the last month for almost all the wrong reasons. Morant’s off-court antics are overshadowing his on-court performances. It has reached the point that veteran teammates of Morant have stepped in to address the entire team and how they should carry themselves more professionally.
Lingering Questions for Morant
Details of how things got to this point for Morant continue to trickle out. Morant has been implicated in numerous events that range from verbal confrontations to assaults over the past year. A common thread in these events is the presence of a weapon.
Morant has allegedly used weapons to threaten and intimidate people. It should be emphasized that these allegations were severe enough that at least two official police investigations were opened.
Head coach Taylor Jenkins confirmed that personnel within the Grizzlies had spoken to Morant about his conduct before the video was posted.
“We have had conversations in the past trying to guide him and help him continue to evolve as a person and a player,” Jenkins said on Thursday.
Jenkins explained that Morant would need to meet specific “personal and professional” steps to be allowed to rejoin the team, with his return not clear as of yet.
The Grizzlies have a 1-2 record without Morant. Grizzlies players didn’t seem overly concerned with the idea that they needed to sign players to replace Morant’s production, following a win against the Golden State Warriors. Any hope of a championship run rests with Morant’s availability.
Featured Articles
Featured Writers
