Ja Morant suspended after video shows Grizzlies star with gun

[sarisataka]

Ja Morant suspended after video shows Grizzlies star with gun

The Memphis Grizzlies have suspended Ja Morant from all team activities after a video showing the star guard holding a gun began circulating on social media Saturday night.

The Grizzlies announced the suspension, which is pending a league review, in a statement Sunday, two months after the NBA suspended Morant over a similar incident. The team did not provide further comment.

"We are aware of the social media post involving Ja Morant and are in the process of gathering more information," NBA spokesperson Mike Bass said in a statement Sunday.

On Saturday, during an Instagram Live session on Morant's friend Davonte Pack's account, the All-Star flashed a handgun while driving and singing along with a rap song. The video has since been deleted.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/37648020/ja-morant-suspended-video-shows-grizzlies-star-gun

I heard this discussed on the radio this morning and they had two good questions.

Do celebrities/ athletes have a responsibility to model good behavior?

If the video was not just flashing the gun but shooting at a range following standard safety protocols would/ should he face discipline?

[Johnny2X2X]

1. First of all, Morant isn't very bright

He's been suspended before and knows he needs to tone it down to keep his job.

But race is also at play here, if it were some white football player showing off his gun while driving in the country it wouldn't even be a story. Wonder why the 2nd amendment usual suspects aren't defending Morant?

[nycbos]

5. Some probably are.

But you don't have to break the law to get in trouble at your job.

But there were also been numerous other incidents. There was an incident at a pickup game with a 17-year-old to my understanding. He and his friends got into it with a mall, security guard because he and his friends were trying to find a store employee that his mother had a disagreement with.

He is a repeat offender to my point.

[GenXer47]

7. we don't know that

Nobody likes it when I say racism isn't THE most important thing but the truth is, it isn't.
Purging gun culture from normal acceptable society, IS.
Ask all the dead kids whether they give a damn what color their murderer was.

[W_HAMILTON]

11. We know that some killers specifically killed people because of their race.

Gun violence certainly needs to be dealt with, but so does the very rampant racism in our society.

[anarch]

2. I don't get it; was he threatening to use it in a game or something?

is there some stipulation in his contract about not handling firearms? why is he not allowed to be pictured with a gun?

[nycbos]

3. All contracts have something about...

... "conduct detrimental to the team and league."

He was suspended a few months ago for a very similar incident. He checked himself into a facility instead, I've learned my lesson. Clearly he didn't.


They have been also several unrelated incidents. He was in a car when one of his friends pointed a lazer at an opposing teams bus for one.

It's actually quite sad. Because he signed a $230 million contract extension, and he is trying to pretend to be a gangster for reasons that are passing understanding. Also stands to lose way more money in endorsements, because sponsors are not gonna want him as the face of their brand.

[anarch]

6. that is sad, and also ridiculous

there's no saving some people from themselves, I guess

[nycbos]

8. Indeed

And for those defending him just mention this. The are 30 teams in the NBA, with 15 players on each roster for a total of 450 players.

449 of the 450 players manage to go through their day-to-day lives without stupid s**t like this poping up. Oh yeah, the endorsements from Nike and Power Aide (Coca-Cola) are worth potentially way more than his NBA salary.

[awesomerwb1]

4. The guy is blessed with soo much talent and physical attributes

[kentuck]

9. And he just signed a new contract extension for about $250 million dollars.

He has no judgement and no one to protect him, it seems?

[W_HAMILTON]

12. The friend that was filming actually moved the phone camera off him real quickly...

...when he saw what Morant was doing (waving the gun around).

In this situation, it may be a case where his friends -- at least some of them -- are smarter than he is.

Morant may just be the bad influence here...

[Brother Buzz]

10. A morality clause is buried in the boilerplating of every sports contract

[nycbos]

13. And endorsement deals too.

Some of these endorsement deals are worth more than the contracts themselves. Do you think Nike or Power Ade (Coca-Cola) is going to want this guy as one of the faces of their brands?