Ja Morant Status: NBA announces suspension for Grizzlies’ star guard for flashing gun on social media

Ja Morant has been officially suspended by the NBA for displaying a gun at a Colorado nightclub. The Memphis Grizzlies superstar has been away from the team for the past five games and won't return to action anytime soon.

The league has suspended Morant for eight games. This includes the five games that he's already missed and three more matchups.

The Grizzlies are second in the Western Conference at the moment. However, they only have a one-game lead over the Sacramento Kings, who are third, and Morant's suspension will likely have a negative impact on the team.

Morant last played against the Denver Nuggets on March 3. The two-time All-Star had a 27-point, 10-assist double-double, but the Grizzlies ended up losing the game.

Shortly after, the 23-year-old guard went live on Instagram and flashed what looked like a gun. The NBA launched an investigation and concluded that the Grizzlies guard did have a firearm. He was also allegedly intoxicated.

The Memphis Grizzlies will play in Miami on Wednesday night before back-to-back games against the San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors. Morant will be eligible to return on Monday night against the Dallas Mavericks.

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"Ja's conduct was irresponsible, reckless and potentially very dangerous," Adam Silver, the NBA's commissioner, said in a statement. "It also has serious consequences given his enormous following and influence, particularly among young fans who look up to him."

In the statement, Silver added that Ja Morant has expressed remorse for his behavior and has learned a lot from the incident.

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Memphis Grizzlies and Ja Morant's status

The troubled Grizzlies superstar will be eligible to play against the Dallas Mavericks on March 20. In his first matchup against the Mavs, Morant scored 20 points and added four assists.

The Grizzlies are currently on a three-game win streak and have done well without their best player. If they can win at least one more game before his return, they will have a good chance of keeping the second seed in the West.

Morant will return in less than a week (Image via Getty Images)

The Denver Nuggets, who sit at the top of the conference, have lost four games in a row and have a four-game lead over the Grizzlies. As such, it's unlikely that Memphis will dethrone Denver.

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Morant has appeared in 53 games in the 2022-23 season, averaging 27.1 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game.