Ja Morant OUT Vs. Mavs; Grizzlies Star 'Bad For Business’?

Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant -- a 2023 NBA All-Star -- is almost finished serving his eight-game suspension for brandishing a handgun on social media earlier this month.

The Memphis Grizzlies are the No. 3 seed in the NBA Western Conference but will be without Ja Morant when they take on the Dallas Mavericks Monday night. Morant's recent controversial behavior has sidelined him through a crucial stretch of Memphis' season as the 2023 playoffs approach.

Morant was heavily scrutinized for flashing a gun in a video he posted on social media following the Grizzlies' 16-point loss to the Denver Nuggets on Mar. 3. Morant exposed the weapon at a Colorado nightclub hours after the loss.

In the wake of his behavior, the NBA suspended Morant for eight games. While he's already missed all eight, he will not take the floor against the Mavericks on Monday. Heavy Sports published quotes from an anonymous agent within the NBA world that had this to say about the Murray State University product:

“'They suspended him for being bad for business,' one prominent player agent told Heavy Sports. 'I’m sure the people in the league office are concerned for Ja as a person, too, but they have to prioritize the business. His family, the team and the other people around him have to be there to support the guy, but everybody has to know where the league is on this,'" Heavy Sports quoted.

“'I tell all my players: this is all a giant machine. Yeah, it runs on your talent, but it’s the business the league has grown that draws in the money. The popularity of the league gives you the platform not only for your salary but for the endorsements and all the other revenue that’s out there for you. Companies want to be associated with the NBA, and you can see that in how much the value of these franchises has gone up. The guys who really make bank are the ones who understand how everything’s tied together.'"

The response from the NBA was appropriate. Morant must bear the repercussions of his actions and most importantly, learn from them. What Morant chooses to do in his free time as a man is his choice regardless of the court of public opinion, so long as he abides by the law as well as the rules of the league. 

The state of Colorado is an open-cary state, allowing adults ages 18 and older to lawfully possess and carry concealed handguns, though varying local caveats and amendments have surfaced in the city of Denver, per the Denver Police Department. However, the NBA does not allow players to carry firearms while on league-related business, meaning Morant was in the wrong. 

The NBA has had to deal with image issues for decades. The 1960's saw virulent bigotry from some fan bases. The 1970's and 80's dealt with problematic drug use among players, as noted in ESPN's “The Last Dance.”This took a toll on TV viewership and attendance metrics.

The late 1990's and 2000's saw the ascension of Hip-Hop culture permeate the league, prompting then-commissioner David Stern to enforce dress codes and other preemptive measures. 

This same era saw the widely criticized 2010 incident involving Gilbert Arenas, where he and fellow Washington Wizards teammate Javaris Crittenton brought guns into the locker room. 

The league has come a long way in cleaning up these impediments and making not only the game, but their overall product, palatable to fan bases around the world. 

Morant has not furthered that progression.

Specifically pertaining to his actions, brandishing weaponry for the public to see only promotes an image of machismo and invites others to challenge it. 

Violence too often follows next.

To the credit of his parentage and self-will, the young and talented star has already achieved a statistical anomaly -- making it to the NBA and ascending to stardom. What a shame it would be to lose all of that over a frivolity.

Moreover, Morant has millions of young fans who follow his movements on and off the court. While he is in no means required to appease the masses, he is indelibly representative of himself, his family, the Grizzlies organization and the NBA at large.

Therefore, prudence never goes wrong.

Intelligent decision-making, hard work and cultivation of talent has gotten Morant where he is today and empowered him to help his family and whomever he chooses -- the ultimate token of manhood. Yet and still, the 23-year-old phenom has a wealth of resources and support systems around him to help him age with wisdom and extricate himself from behavior that only paints a negative picture of himself and those who look like him.

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