2023-06-02 06:06:00
While the NBA Finals between Denver and Miami have just started, we are still awaiting the sanction of the League concerning Ja Morant following the episode of the live Instagram where the latter showed himself (again) with a gun to the hand. Spoiler, we’ll have to wait a little longer…
Because yes, in his traditional pre-NBA Finals press conference, commissioner Adam Silver announced that the NBA’s decision will not fall before the end of the series between the Nuggets and the Heat. Why wait ? The Big Bald Explained (via ESPN).
“We could have announced it now, but we made the decision to wait because – and I think the players’ association agrees with us – it would be unfair to these players and these teams. [les Nuggets et le Heat, NDLR.] to announce the results of the investigation in the middle of a series.
As we are in the offseason, and he is suspended indefinitely by the Grizzlies, nothing will really change in the coming weeks. It seems best to wait for the moment, and the result of the investigation will be announced shortly after the Finals.
Bottom line: The NBA has gathered enough evidence through its investigation into the Ja Morant video that it has decided on the penalty it will impose on the Grizzlies superstar, but now is not the right time to announce it in the eyes of the commissioner. You may be thinking that the Nuggets and the Heat have nothing to do with the Morant case, but know that this situation is important (and sensitive) enough League-wide for everyone to feel concerned. .
Adam Silver on Ja Morant:
“We’ve uncovered a fair amount of additional information. We probably could have brought it to a head now, but we’ve made the decision that it would be unfair to these players and these teams to announce that decision in the middle of this series.”… pic.twitter.com/VBrzVMTrPL
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) June 1, 2023
As a reminder, Ja Morant had been suspended for eight games following the first live Insta involving a gun last March (it was after a game in Denver). This time, we necessarily expect a more severe sanction in view of the recidivism, Adam Silver having notably declared two weeks ago that he was “shocked” by the second video. The insider ofESPN Adrian Wojnarowski spoke of a potential “long suspension” for Ja, to see how that translates to the number of games.
“I don’t know what will be necessary to change his behavior. […] I just hope that the sanction will not be an end in itself. The most important thing is what we, the players’ association, his team, himself and the people around him are going to do to create better circumstances in the future.
– Adam Silver
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Source texte : ESPN
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