Grizzlies' Ja Morant to Miss At Least 4 More Games After Police Probe Into IG Video
Ja Morant will not return to the Memphis Grizzlies in the immediate future.
Memphis announced on Saturday that the star guard would "be away from the team for at least the next two games" after he posted a video of himself on Instagram live in which he appeared to be holding a gun at a nightclub.
The team has since played twice and provided an update Wednesday saying he "will continue to remain away from the team for at least the next four games."
Head coach Taylor Jenkins told reporters on Sunday there was not a set timeline in place.
"We have said that it'll be at least these two games," he said. "We are taking it a day at a time. This is going to be an ongoing healing process. I can't comment on the terms of the exact timetable is going to be because this really isn't a timetable situation."
Morant previously apologized in a statement.
"I take full responsibility for my actions last night," he said. "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."
NBA spokesperson Mike Bass told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski the league was investigating the situation.
The Glendale (Colorado) Police Department also investigated, but it issued a press release Wednesday that said, "although the video was concerning enough to prompt an investigation, there was not enough available evidence to charge anyone with a crime."
It was the latest in a string of headlines involving Morant.
On March 1, Molly Hensley-Clancy of the Washington Post cited police records that stated the head of security at a mall said someone with Morant shoved him in the head and that the Grizzlies guard "threatened" him in summer 2022.
A police report also alleged that four days later Morant punched a teenage boy in the head multiple times during a pickup basketball game just four days later. Police said they observed a "large knot" on the boy's head.
The teenager also told authorities Morant—who said he was acting in self-defense because the boy initially threw a ball at his head and stepped toward him—went into his house and came back with his hand on a gun that was visible in the waistband of his pants.
In February, Bob Kravitz and Sam Amick of The Athletic reported there was an altercation between Morant's acquaintances and the Indiana Pacers' traveling party following a game.
Those with the Pacers said someone in the car Morant was traveling in shone a laser on them while driving by outside the arena. One witness said the laser was "100 percent" attached to a gun, and another said "we felt we were in grave danger."
The NBA investigated and confirmed there was an altercation even though it could not substantiate whether there was a weapon.
"All that stuff pretty much false. It's been proven," Morant said of that situation, per Mark Giannotto of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
When on the floor, Morant is one of the best players in the league and a primary reason expectations are so high this season for the Grizzlies.
He made his second straight All-Star Game in February and is averaging 27.1 points, 8.2 assists, 6.0 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game.
Memphis is third in the Western Conference with a 38-26 record.
