The Memphis Grizzlies announced Saturday that suspended standout guard Ja Morant would not play before Wednesday's game against the Houston Rockets, as the coaching staff and medical team will assess Morant's game status.
Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins told reporters on Saturday that, based on his conversations with the controversial young basketball star, he is optimistic that Ja Morant is ready to return to court action from rehabilitation after the Ja Morant scandal.
Taylor Jenkins also hinted that Ja Morant's return on Wednesday's game against the Rockets may be in doubt since the club has to reintegrate Morant into the rotation before determining whether he can go back to gameplay soon, according to Fan Nation.
Taylor Jenkins said the anticipation is Ja Morant is "at least out for Monday" vs. Dallas, as it will be his first day back with the team.
— Clayton Collier (@ClaytonJCollier) March 18, 2023
They'll look to quickly ramp him up to game speed upon his return. pic.twitter.com/vfudpkwuqm
Having Morant back around the club should be beneficial for the Grizzlies even if he is unable to participate in the first two games he is eligible for. The pressure that has been building up around this squad over the last several weeks should subside somewhat now that the shadow of his unavailability has been dispelled.
On March 15, the NBA confirmed Morant's eight-game suspension without pay for league-harmful behavior. Ja Morant suspension was imposed after the leakage of an Instagram Live footage of with a gun at a Denver nightclub after a March 3 game against the Nuggets.
Ja Morant scandal caused him fine and five games missed while apart from the team as he spent days at a Florida therapy clinic.
Ja Morant Learned From His Mistakes, Says NBA Commissioner Adam Silver
On March 15, Ja Morant met NBA commissioner Adam Silver. In a statement, Silver said that the Grizzlies guard made it clear to him that "he has learned from this incident and that he understands his obligations and responsibility to the Memphis Grizzlies and the broader NBA community extend well beyond his play on the court."
Throughout the last year, Morant has been engaged in many off-court controversies, according to CBS Sports:
- According to the Washington Post, hitting an adolescent "12 or 13 times". Morant claimed self-defense. Morant had a pistol in his jeans, according to the youngster.
- Ja Morant and several of his buddies intimidated a mall security officer after his mother argued with a shop clerk. No one was arrested for this incident.
- The NBA investigated a Jan. 29 incident in Memphis following a game against the Indiana Pacers in February. Indiana's traveling party reported a red laser from Morant's Vehicle. They thought a gun caused it, but the NBA could not verify that any person threatened another with a firearm.
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Ja Morant reportedly completed therapy on Wednesday and attempted to explain his recent behavior in an interview with ESPN's Jalen Rose on Thursday, per an earlier HNGN report.
The Grizzlies guard claimed "full responsibility" for Ja Morant scandal even though he did not own the weapon in the Colorado club incident.
"It's not who I am. I don't condone any form of violence, but I accept full responsibility for my conduct. I've made a big mistake," Ja Morant said in the interview.
Ja Morant-Less Grizzlies Beat Warriors
Meanwhile, despite Ja Morant's absence, the Memphis Grizzlies still beat the Golden State Warriors 113-119 on Saturday.
The Grizzlies got off to a hot offensive start, and the Warriors saw themselves running from behind. At halftime, Memphis led 71-59 with a 73.3% eFG%, according to Golden State of Mind.
The Grizzlies benefited from some outstanding offense and a less-impressive Warriors' defense.
Jaren Jackson Jr. was outstanding for Memphis, scoring a game-high 31 points while also grabbing seven rebounds and four blocks. Desmond Bane scored 26 points, while Xavier Tillman and Tyus Jones had double-doubles.
