Memphis Grizzlies guard Jay Morant, 23, is again under scrutiny from the NBA after he carelessly fired a gun-like object during a game. instagram live video Posted over the weekend.
The video, which appears to have been posted on Saturday, comes just over two months after the NBA suspended Morant for showing a gun in an Instagram Live video filmed at a nightclub near Denver. He then expressed his regret and said he would do better.
The Grizzlies said on Sunday: statement It announced that Morant has been suspended from all team activities until the league reviews the new video. League spokesman Mike Bass said the NBA was “aware” of the post and was gathering more information.
The league suspended Morant for eight games in March over a nightclub video. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver noted Morant’s “tremendous support and influence” in announcing the suspension, which classified the shooting as harmful behavior to the league. The Instagram Live video was posted in the early hours of March 4, when Morant was “intoxicated,” the NBA said. Morant left the team immediately and entered a facility in Florida for counseling.
“I’m going to take some time to seek help and work on learning better ways to deal with stress and my overall health.” Morant said in a statement at the time:That’s what his agent Tandem posted on Twitter.
In contrast to Sunday, when the Grizzlies suspended Morant, the team initially responded less harshly to the March incident, only saying Morant was leaving the team. Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins avoided criticizing Morant to reporters at the time, providing few details about conversations he or his team may have had with Morant.
Morant later said it was his idea to go to counseling.
The nightclub incident is just one of a series of disturbing off-court incidents for Morant since last summer, including those who say they feel threatened by Morant and his allies. The Weekly magazine reported that it was included. Washington Post and The Athletic.
Morant showed a mixture of rebellion and contrition after returning from a March suspension. He said his journey, which began with his counseling, is an ongoing process.
He was congratulated by Grizzlies fans in his first game back. His family wore clothes that read “salvation.” Morant said in his post-match comments that he sometimes felt unfairly targeted.
Still, the return was an opportunity for Morant to show that his desire to be better is sincere.
Morant is one of the top guards in the league. His signature shoes with Nike debuted in March.
He just finished his fourth season with the Grizzlies, joining the team as the second overall pick in the 2019 draft from Murray State as a diminutive but exciting point guard. He is the leader of a talented young team that was one of the best in the Western Conference all season long, even as Memphis dealt with injuries to key players. The Grizzlies lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs last month.
Morant last week reposted a tweet from a Grizzlies beatwriter suggesting his off-court actions may have resulted in him being unselected after being unselected as one of six guards on the All-NBA team.
