Grizzlies’ Ja Morant to be ‘away from the team’ for two games after social media post of him brandishing a gun

Memphis Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant will be away from the team for the next two games at least, the Grizzlies announced on Saturday. The decision came shortly after it was revealed that the NBA is investigating a post that was circulating on social media on Saturday in which Morant is seen appearing to brandish a gun at a club. 

“We are aware of a social media post involving Ja Morant and are investigating,” NBA spokesman Mike Bass said in a statement. Morant released a statement of his own on Saturday, and it read as follows: 

“I take full responsibility for my actions last night. I’m sorry to my family, teammates, coaches, fans partners, the city of Memphis and the entire Grizzlies organization for letting you down. I’m going to take some time away to get help and work on learning better methods of dealing with stress and my overall well-being.” 

The situation comes on the heels of what has been a rough start to the year for Morant. Earlier this week, the star guard was accused of threatening the head of security at a Memphis mall last summer, per a police report. The altercation started after Morant’s mother had a dispute with an employee at a Finish Line store within the mall, which led her to call her son. 

Upon arrival, Morant and those who came with him were told to leave by the head of security, and they refused, prompting police to arrive. A “verbal confrontation” transpired and then a member of Morant’s group pushed the security guard in the head. According to the police report, Morant then said “let me find out what time he gets off,” which made the guard want to file a report as he felt “threatened” by Morant’s statement. No arrests were made in the incident.   

Four days after that incident at the mall, Morant was then accused of punching a 17-year-old boy and brandishing a gun during a pickup basketball game at his home in Memphis. The teenager’s mom filed a police report the day of the incident and took her son to the hospital the following day. 

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In January, the NBA investigated a separate incident involving acquaintances of Morant. After a game between the Grizzlies and Pacers, members of Indiana’s traveling party told The Athletic that someone in an SUV that Morant was traveling in shined a red laser at them. They believed it was a gun, however, the NBA said it could “not corroborate that any individual threatened others with a weapon.”  

Forcing the NBA to investigate two separate incidents that you’re involved in over a three-month period isn’t ideal, and is indicative of a troubling pattern of behavior Morant has been displaying lately. The 23-year-old is one of the brightest young stars in the league, but it certainly seems as though he could use some improvement when it comes to his off-court decision-making.