Ja Morant has been in the news for all the wrong reasons over the last five months, albeit that it’s his own doing.
The high-flying Grizzlies’ star was poised to be the league’s next leading superstar until a leaked video thwarted those plans.
While Ja hadn’t done anything illegal, as evidenced by Colorado officials clearing him of any legal wrongdoing stemming from his IG live antics with a gun in a nightclub, he was caught doing something dumb and potentially dangerous.
But to the NBA, it was a stain on its image.
So Morant was given an eight-game suspension, costing him almost $700,000 in forfeited salary. The playoffs rolled around and unfortunately for Memphis fans, the team lost to the Lakers.
And just when things were quieting down, Morant was caught once again brandishing a gun on IG Live.
To be clear, Morant has done nothing illegal, especially in Tennessee as it’s a permitless carry state.
But the events did two specific things.
One, they made public other incidents involving Morant, including a brushup at a mall that resulted in a police report being filed after a security guard felt threatened by Morant and his friends, and accusations of punching a teenager and flashing a gun at a pickup game.
Two, it tarnished the NBA’s image and reputation, and that’s what led to Commissioner Adam Silver’s decision on Friday to suspend Morant for the first 25 games of the upcoming season.
As expected, the reactions were varied and swift.
Some agreed with the suspension, saying Morant must learn the hard way. Others called it hypocritical as members of Congress have been celebrated for posing in holiday cards armed with automatic weapons.
Others felt it was too severe, including NBPA Executive Director Tamika Tremaglio who stated, “We believe it is excessive and inappropriate for a number of reasons, including the facts involved in the particular incident, and that it is not fair and consistent with past discipline in our league.”
In Ja’s case, everyone is right.
Those feeling the suspension was too harsh point towards the lack of criminal charges in Morant’s incidents. Making bad choices and being reckless and stupid are not punishable by law.
Those supporting the suspension point to the fact that Morant committed the same mistake not once but twice in a span of basically two months and needed some “act right.”
Looking at the NBA’s punishment list from this past season (minus Ja’s eight-game suspension), the highest number of games a player was suspended for was three for on-court fighting.
The NBA is a global, multi-billion dollar private company that takes its image and reputation very seriously. Unlike the NHL or MLB, it doesn’t encourage or allow fighting. That’s been clear since the 90s; just ask any Knicks fan about Patrick Ewing’s suspension in the 1997 playoffs for stepping on the floor after an altercation broke out at the other end of the court. The league even instituted a dress code during David Stern’s reign to strengthen the league’s image.
So it should be no surprise that any action that harms its image is met with swift justice.
That’s why Ja Morant was hit with a 25 game suspension.
From a historical perspective, Morant’s suspension is controversial and understandable. Excluding The Malice at the Palace, the league has heavily punished off-the-court incidents.
Gilbert Arenas (50 games) and Javaris Crittenton (38 games) were both suspended in 2010 for bringing guns into the Washington Wizards’ locker room. Miles Bridges got 30 games for domestic violence this past April. Jeff Taylor received 24 games in 2014-15 after pleading guilty to misdemeanor domestic violence assault and malicious destruction of hotel property.
Morant was not involved in a domestic violence situation, nor was he charged with anything illegal, so his suspension being in the same ballpark as players involved in domestic violence charges is both wrong and harsh. But comparing Ja’s suspension to Arenas and Crirrenton makes it seem light.
Then again, why is domestic violence not worthy of a heavier suspension than guns?
This is the dilemma Silver faced with Ja. No matter his decision, no one would be completely satisfied. And yes, there are other factors to consider such as the CBA and Stern’s rulings vs Silver’s.
But the one thing everyone should acknowledge is that Morant is part of the NBA and the league doesn’t play when it comes to its image. So if you tarnish that image in some way, expect to be punished severely for it.
In Ja’s case, hopefully, this acts as the ultimate wake-up call that finally makes him understand that legal or not, the league doesn’t tolerate gunplay.
Congress, yes. The NBA, no.
