Grizzlies’ Ja Morant suspended against Raptors for ‘harmful conduct’
Memphis suspended the two-time All-Star guard I Morant for their game on Sunday at Toronto Raptorswith Grizzlies citing what they described as behavior detrimental to the team.
Morant scored just eight points in Memphis 117-112 loss for Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night. He had a short interview after the game, with most of his answers in some form of, “Go ask the coaching staff.”
Morant also saw occasional action in that game, even taking a few steps off the bench during a second-half timeout.
Asked about what happened in the game, Morant said, “Go ask them,” referring to the coaching staff. He did not score in the second half.
He gave a different answer when asked if he thought he should have played more or what could have gone differently.
“According to them, probably don’t play me, honestly,” Morant said. “That’s basically what the message was after. That’s cool.”
Morant played 8 minutes, 25 seconds in the fourth quarter Friday, more than any other Memphis player. In the second half, he recorded 16:11 on the field, the second most in the team; Jaren Jackson Jr. played 16:20 after half time. Morant missed all seven of his shots in the second half.
The suspension is the latest in a long line of disciplinary measures against Morant in recent years. He was suspended twice in 2023, those two events costing him 33 games and about $8.3 million in salary. He was fined $75,000 last season for making a pistol-firing gesture to celebrate making threes. The NBA he called the gesture “inappropriate,” adding that “Morant was previously warned by the league office that this gesture could be interpreted in a negative light.”
Morant is making about $39.4 million this season and is in the third year of a five-year, $197.2 million contract. He is averaging 20.8 points per game in six games so far this season.
Associated Press reports.
2025-11-01 22:36:00
