The two-time All-Star guard is expected to be on the bench Monday night when the Memphis Grizzlies hosts the Dallas Mavericks, though it’s not certain when he’ll play but the earliest it can be should be Wednesday.
The Grizzlies had already announced on Sunday that Morant will not be playing against the Mavericks because of what they called a “Return to Competition Reconditioning.”
The Grizzlies recently got back-to-back wins will even look stronger with Morant’s imminent return as he has been working out, trying to be ready for this moment.
Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said he would like Morant to practice or at least participate in a shootaround before seeing game action.
In his words on saturday night before the Grizzlies beat Golden State 133-119 “We’ll see when he gets back in the team environment. Our anticipation is he’s at least out for Monday. We’ll cross the bridge on Wednesday as we get a little bit closer.”
The Grizzlies has a 5-3 record without Morant since he was freezed out of the team on March 4, just some hours after he livestreamed himself on Instagram displaying a gun at strip club in Colorado following a game against the Denver Nuggets.
Before the NBA announced his suspension on the 15th of March, It was reported that Ja met with NBA Commissioner – Adam Silver in New York.
The investigation conducted by the NBA explained that Morant was “holding a firearm in an intoxicated state” – but did not prove that the gun was owned by Morant “or was displayed by him beyond a brief period.”
The investigation also stated that the NBA did not find it that Morant had the gun with him on Memphis’ flight to Denver, or that he possessed the gun in any NBA facility.
The Colorado’s Police Department after conducting their own investigation concluded that there was no legal reason to charge Morant with a crime after looking into the circumstances surrounding the video.
Morant also said in an interview that the gun was not his and that he takes full responsibility for his actions.
“I can see the image that I painted over myself with my recent mistakes, but in the future, I’m going to show everybody who Ja really is, what I’m about and change this narrative that everybody got.” he said.
The suspension reportedly costed him $669,000 in salary and possibly a chance to max out the five-year contract he signed last July by making the All-NBA team. He also had to sign up for counseling off the field.
Morant, 23 was selected by the Grizzlies as the No. 2 draft pick in 2019, and he was named the 2020 NBA Rookie of the Year and last year earned NBA Most Improved Player honors. He currently ranks ninth in the league averaging 27.1 points and has six triple-doubles this season.
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