Morant suspended eight games by NBA for ‘irresponsible’ and ‘reckless’ gun incident

Calling his flashing of a gun in a club and broadcasting it on social media “irresponsible” and “reckless,” the NBA announced it has suspended Ja Morant for eight games without pay.

That came after Morant met with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to discuss his actions, the league’s investigation, and his punishment.

“Ja’s conduct was irresponsible, reckless and potentially very dangerous,” Silver said in a statement announcing the suspension. “It also has serious consequences given his enormous following and influence, particularly among young fans who look up to him. He has expressed sincere contrition and remorse for his behavior. Ja has also made it clear to me that he has learned from this incident and that he understands his obligations and responsibility to the Memphis Grizzlies and the broader NBA community extend well beyond his play on the court.”

The eight-game suspension is retroactive and includes the five games he’s already missed, Wednesday night’s game against the Heat, and two more over the weekend (at Spurs, then Warriors). Morant could return to the club on Monday when they face Dallas, however, he has not been playing while in counseling in Florida and likely will miss a little more time ramping up to play again, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The suspension will cost Morant $668,659 in pay, reports Bobby Marks of ESPN. Morant has faced other financial issues from the incident — Powerade pulled the ad they planned to run during March Madness — and it could impact whether he makes All-NBA, which would give him a Rose-rule supermax.

While the league suspended Morant for his actions, its investigation concluded it was not his gun. From the league’s announcement:

“Based on the information obtained