The NBA reveals the reason for letting Ja Morant train while suspended

Ja Morant is due to miss the first 25 scheduled games of the regular season after receiving a suspension from the NBA for displaying a firearm on an Instagram live video. This is the second suspension Morant has received for displaying guns, and while he did not do anything illegal, the reasoning behind the suspension is to prevent younger audiences from copying Ja's actions.

With this suspension, Morant has only been banned from playing in games. He has continued to train with his Grizzlies teammates and has permission to travel with the team. In an interview with Yahoo Sports, NBA Executive Vice President Joe Dumars said, "This...".


How Much Will Morant be Missed?


Morant has been the face of the Memphis Grizzlies organization for the last couple of years. Despite entering the league in 2019, he has already established himself as one of the best guards in the game today, ranking 12th in MVP voting last season.

He is clearly the best player on the Grizzlies, leading them in scoring (26.2), assists (8.1), and steals (1.1) last season. With this impressive form, he managed to lead this young core to the number 2 seed in the Western Conference.


With Morant missing over a quarter of the season to start, it is likely that the Grizzlies will not perform as well as they did last year. However, not all hope is lost for their playoff aspirations. Last season, they earned the 2nd seed with Morant missing 21 games. Assuming he plays each of his remaining games once he returns to the squad, he will only miss 4 more games than last season.

His return towards the end of the regular season may actually benefit Memphis, as the momentum from their late-season push may carry through into the playoffs, as they witnessed firsthand when the Lakers beat them in the first round last year.

The only concern is that the Western Conference appears to be stronger than last year, with improved Lakers and Warriors teams, an alleged "healthy" duo of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard on the Clippers, as well as the reigning champion Denver Nuggets, of course.

New Look Grizzlies

The Grizzlies have made several adjustments this offseason. They currently have the last two Defensive Players of the Year, with Marcus Smart, who won the award in 2022, pairing with the reigning holder of that award, Jaren Jackson Jr. With this duo, they are set up to be one of the best defensive teams in the league. Smart also fills the perimeter defense void left by 3&D specialist Dillon Brooks, who left the team for the Rockets this summer.

They also re-signed Desmond Bane to an extension. With Morant missing, he will likely be the primary offensive option, having averaged over 20 points per game last year for the Grizzlies.


Another addition to their roster, the Grizzlies signed former MVP Derrick Rose, who can provide veteran leadership to the locker room and also help fill in for Morant at the point guard position while he serves his suspension.

After losing in the first round last year despite being the higher seed, the Grizzlies may come to play with a chip on their shoulders. Losing their leader Morant to start the season, that chip may grow even larger. So, don't be surprised if the Grizzlies come out strong to start the season, as their roster is clearly deeply talented and primed for great success this season.


Credits
Si.com