Report: Ja Morant Could Return for Grizzlies vs. Rockets After Suspension for Video

Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant could make his return to an NBA court on Wednesday against the Houston Rockets, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

Charania reported on FanDuel TV that Morant is still ramping up even though he has served his eight-game suspension.

Memphis head coach Taylor Jenkins said Monday, per ESPN's Tim MacMahon, that the team is "hopeful" Morant will be able to play on Wednesday.

"We're hopeful for Wednesday, so long as everything medically clears out," Jenkins said.

The NBA suspended the two-time All-Star after he uploaded a video of himself holding a firearm at a nightclub to social media.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon reported on March 13 that Morant entered a counseling program. The dynamic guard had said in a statement that he was "going to take some time away to get help and work on learning better methods of dealing with stress and my overall well-being."

At the time, it looked like Morant's season might be over. There was no sense of how long he intended to remain in counseling, and the NBA had yet to formally weigh in with a punishment.

By March 15, however, Wojnarowski reported Morant was already out of the counseling program and planning to meet with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

The video featuring the handgun came after the 23-year-old's off-court behavior was already coming under close scrutiny.

The Washington Post's Molly Hensley-Clancy reported Morant had "threatened" the head of security at a mall in Memphis last summer. He had traveled to the mall because his mom had gotten into an argument with a Finish Line employee and called him.

"Confronted by the director of mall security, Morant and his friends refused the security guard's demands to leave the mall parking lot," per Hensley-Clancy.

She reported on another incident at Morant's family home, when he allegedly punched a 17-year-old in the jaw during a heated moment in a pickup basketball game. The teenager told police Morant also "came outside with his gun," though he never pulled it out.

Morant granted ESPN's Jalen Rose an interview and said "most" of the off-court drama being reported "is a lie."

The 2021-22 Most Improved Player is averaging 27.1 points and 8.2 assists this season and has helped the Grizzlies post the third-best record (43-27) in the Western Conference.

Memphis managed to keep its head above water during his suspension, going 5-3 recently with him out of the lineup.