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Adam Silver has issued an update regarding Ja Morant's suspension. The Memphis Grizzlies star was spotted flaunting a gun on his Instagram Live for the second time in two months in May. Morant was punished with an eight-game suspension for a similar offense in March.
The NBA could issue a more significant punishment for the All-Star guard for being a repeat offender. The NBA has uncovered additional information, as per Commissioner Silver.
However, the details and the punishment will be announced only after the finals. The NBA believes it would be unfair to the Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets to produce the investigation's results in the middle of their series. Here's what Silver said (via CBS):
"We've uncovered a fair amount of additional information since I was last asked about the situation. We probably could have brought it to a head now, but we made the decision -- and I believe the Players Association agrees with us -- that it would be unfair to these players and these teams in the middle of this series to announce the results of that investigation.
"And given that we're in the offseason, he has been suspended by the Memphis Grizzlies indefinitely, so nothing would have changed anyway in the next few weeks. It seemed better to park that at the moment -- at least any public announcement -- and my sense now is that shortly after the conclusion of the finals we will announce the results of that investigation."
Ja Morant was suspended immediately by the Grizzlies after videos of him holding a gun went viral on May 14. He has been away from the team since. The NBA has been strict with its policies and conduct-related issues, so Morant could be in deep trouble.
Adam Silver issued a strong statement when Morant was caught in March, which further adds to the expectation that the league will take stricter actions against the young star. Silver called Morant's actions "irresponsible, reckless and potentially very dangerous" at the time.
Click here to read CBS' reports on Adam Silver's comments on Ja Morant's suspension.
Ja Morant's absence could have a significant impact on Memphis Grizzlies next season
Ja Morant's actions have warranted nearly a year's suspension from many. Some believe it should be at least 50 games, while the minimum number should at least be around 20-25 games.
Over the past year, Morant has flaunted guns twice on a public platform, punched a teenager at a pick-up game, was accused of threatening the head of security at a mall and a Foot Action Store and got investigated for being in the car that allegedly directed red lasers attached to a gun at Pacers' bus after a game.
Not all investigations produced evidence against Morant, but that's added to the negative image of the young All-Star. The league will likely consider all of these incidents too. Morant is among the most influential players in the game, with a great following among young hoopers.
He was also predicted to be the potential face of the league down the line. The prospects of that have likely taken a hit amid these recent events. Ja Morant had led the Grizzlies to new heights over the last two years.
But his lack of discipline as a leader and the best player on the team could hamper the team's future too. His extended absence and off-court distractions could stunt the Grizzlies' remarkable growth this season.
