Ja Morant was suspended by the Memphis Grizzlies for posting images of him holding a gun in a nightclub live on social media, head coach Jenkins said on the 5th. There is no definite return timetable.
The Grizzlies initially said Morant would miss at least two games because he was seeking assistance and the NBA is investigating. Morant started a live broadcast on Instagram in the early morning of the 4th. In the screen, Morant was in a nightclub with what was apparently a gun in his hand.
Taylor Jenkins said: “We said, at least two games; I mean, it’s an ongoing process, not a timetable.”
Jenkins said the team’s focus is on helping Morant through a process that “is going to be very difficult,” while also holding him accountable for his actions.
“We take it seriously,” Jenkins said. “It’s support for those who need to get better and need help, but there is also a responsibility on the team.”
“Obviously, across the country, across the league, gun violence is getting a lot of attention. So, for us, that’s how we support Morant’s position throughout the opportunity to grow. It’s a learning opportunity, and hopefully we can all get better from it.”
In 2015, the NBA partnered with director Spike Lee and the Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund to produce several public service announcements regarding gun violence. Including Curry (Stephen Curry), Anthony (Carmelo Anthony), Paul (Chris Paul), Noah (Joakim Noah) and other stars participated in the advertisement.
In addition to flashing guns in IG live broadcasts, Morant has also been involved in several incidents in which he or his friends swung guns.
The Washington Post (The Washington Post) report on the 1st detailed two incidents related to Morant last summer. Although the police were reported and kept records, no one was arrested.
In a second incident, a 17-year-old accused Morant of slinging a gun to his waist following a confrontation with him while playing street basketball in his backyard, according to police records obtained by The Washington Post. , with his hand still on the weapon. In another incident, Morant was in a parking lot and clashed with mall security.
Morant’s agent, Jim Tanner, issued a statement in response to the Washington Post report, saying: “Any gun-related allegations have been fully investigated and cannot be substantiated. This includes the NBA’s investigation last month. , also found no evidence.”
The NBA launched an investigation last month following a friend of Morant got into a fight with the Pacers following the Grizzlies beat the Indiana Pacers at home on Jan. 29. The incident on the Pacers team bus was first reported by The Athletic, a US sports news website. NBA security and investigators interviewed numerous witnesses and reviewed surveillance footage following receiving reports from the Pacers that a red laser light had been aimed at members of the Pacers from the van Morant was traveling in.
Jenkins was the only Grizzlies staff member who spoke publicly before Sunday’s game. The Grizzlies flew from Denver to Los Angeles early on the morning of the 4th, but according to sources, Morant was not with the team or in Los Angeles.
Morant began live broadcast on IG at 5:19 am Eastern Time on the 4th following the Grizzlies lost 97 to 113 to the Denver Nuggets. The star NBA guard Morant, who was shirtless during the broadcast, rapped to the music and was seen holding a pistol in his left hand. But not long following the incident broke out, Morant shut down his Instagram and Twitter accounts.
Morant said in a statement that he “takes full responsibility for his actions the night before.”
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