The Memphis Grizzlies are preparing for an ‘extended absence’ from Ja Morant as the NBA and Colorado police investigate him showing off a gun at a strip club.
With the NBA and Colorado police investigating how Ja Morant smuggled a gun into a Denver-area strip club, the Grizzlies guard may be in for an “extended absence,” according to a new report.
Morant was seen flashing a gun at a strip club after a loss last week at the Nuggets, and was suspended for two games before coach Taylor Jenkins said there was no timeline for his return.
And according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, it could be a while before Morant returns to the court.
“From what I understand, the expectation within the team is that this could be a prolonged absence,” he said Tuesday in FanDuel TV.
“And tougher penalties could come from the league, they could come from the police.”
Morant appeared to be holding a gun in an Instagram Live video in the early hours of Saturday.
The Grizzlies have struggled without Morant on the court, losing their last three games.
Both the league and Colorado police are investigating how the weapon found its way into the Denver area.
Players may not carry firearms while on team property or traveling on team business.
Meanwhile, police in Glendale, Colorado, a Denver suburb, are investigating to see if Morant violated any gun laws.
Charania noted that Morant has been “accepting responsibility and getting help,” but in the meantime, his team is struggling without him.
Memphis has lost the last three games without its superstar guard and has slipped to third in the West, with just 2.5 games separating it from the Kevin Durant-led Suns.
Plus, the Grizzlies have a tough list of games to come, with the Warriors and Mavericks coming to town followed by trips to Dallas, Miami and San Antonio.
Morant, who has been in the news recently for other off-court incidents, apologized for his actions Saturday.
Morant issued a statement saying that he will take time to receive help.
The guard is out with the Grizzlies indefinitely after displaying a gun last weekend.
“I take full responsibility for my actions last night,” he said. “I am sorry to my family, teammates, coaches, fans, partners, the city of Memphis and the entire Grizzlies organization for letting them down.
“I’m going to take some time to get help and work on learning better methods to deal with stress and my overall well-being.”
He was sued in September for allegedly punching a Tennessee teenager in the face during an impromptu game, something the NBA star claims was self-defense.
Morant was also involved in a separate incident at a Memphis mall last summer, after the Washington Post reported that the head of security told police Morant “threatened” him during an altercation in the parking lot.