Woj: NBA Facing 'Pressure from Some Teams' to Deal 'Fairly Harshly' with Ja Morant
The NBA is facing pressure from some teams to "deal fairly harshly" with Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, who is under investigation from the NBA after appearing to hold a handgun during an Instagram Live video for a second time this season.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski explained the situation on Friday's edition of NBA Today (2:20 mark begins the discussion).
"There's just not a lot of empathy around the NBA, and I think there's even pressure from some teams to deal fairly harshly with Ja Morant," Wojnarowski said in part.
Wojnarowski also added that he expects Morant will be suspended for a "significant part of the Grizzlies' season."
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told reporters before Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets that any discipline wouldn't come until after the championship series concludes.
"We've uncovered a fair amount of additional information," Silver said. "We probably could have brought it to a head now, but we've made the decision that it would be unfair to these players and these teams to announce that decision in the middle of this series."
Memphis has already suspended Morant from offseason team activities after the latest video surfaced.
The NBA previously suspended him eight games after an initial Instagram Live video revealed him holding a handgun in a Denver nightclub following a road game against the Nuggets.
Morant underwent counseling in Florida and spoke with Silver after the first incident and also released an apology after the second incident.
"I know I've disappointed a lot of people who have supported me," Morant said. "This is a journey and I recognize there is more work to do. My words may not mean much right now, but I take full accountability for my actions. I'm committed to continuing to work on myself."
Now Morant could be out for a big chunk of the 2023-24 season. It would undoubtedly be a huge loss for Memphis, which has finished as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference for two straight years.
The former Murray State star averaged 26.2 points, 8.1 assists and 5.9 rebounds in 2022-23.
