The Grizzlies suspended Morant from all team activities Sunday pending a review from the NBA.
Morant appeared to flash a gun during an Instagram Live video Sunday morning. The incident occurred just two months after the point guard served an eight-game league suspension stemming from a similar situation. Given that it's the offseason for Memphis, it's unclear if Morant will face any immediate repercussions, but it's certainly possible the league sends a message and forces him to sit out a significant number of games to begin the 2023-24 NBA season.
Morant posted 10 points (3-16 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 2-4 FT), five rebounds, six assists and three steals across 34 minutes during Friday's 125-85 loss to the Lakers in Game 6 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.
Morant struggled in a game where the Grizzlies needed him the most, and in fact, his poor performance was perhaps the best example of how overmatched Memphis looked in the series against a vastly experienced Lakers team. Morant was inconsistent throughout the six contests, mixing stellar performances in Game 3 and Game 5 with subpar efforts in Games 1, 4 and 6 and missing Game 2. He ended the series averaging 24.6 points, 7.0 assists and 6.8 rebounds per game, figures that were a tick below his regular-season averages.
Grizzlies' Ja Morant: Near triple-double in Game 5 win
Rotowire
Morant amassed 31 points (13-26 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 3-4 FT), 10 rebounds, seven assists and one steal over 38 minutes during Wednesday's 116-99 victory over the Lakers in Game 5 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.
Despite dealing with a hand injury, Morant finished as one of two Grizzlies players with 30 or more points while posting a double-double and finishing three assists shy of a triple-double. Morant, who led the team in assists along with a team-high-tying rebound mark, has tallied at least 30 points, five rebounds and five assists in two games this postseason.
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Grizzlies' Ja Morant: Returns with 45-point explosion
Rotowire
Morant closed with 45 points (13-26 FG, 6-10 3Pt, 13-14 FT), nine rebounds and 13 assists across 42 minutes during Saturday's 111-101 loss to the Lakers in Game 3 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.
Although Morant was wearing a brace on his injured right hand, the All-Star was brilliant throughout and muscled his way to a 24-point fourth quarter, which put the Grizzles within striking distance. Ultimately, the effort fell short, but Memphis will likely need similar production from Morant moving forward if they hope to salvage the series.
Morant (hand) will start in Game 3 against the Lakers on Saturday, Mark Medina of NBA.com reports.
Morant was always expected to be a game-time decision after missing Game 2 due to a hand injury, and the star floor general will end up playing and starting after participating in Friday's non-contact practice. It remains to be seen if he'll have any kind of restrictions, but since this is a playoff contest, it seems safe to believe Morant will handle a regular workload if he looks healthy as the game progresses. Morant's return means Tyus Jones will likely head back to a bench role.
