Ja Morant Suspended Eight Games Without Pay for “Conduct Detrimental to the League

The NBA has suspended Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant for eight games without pay for “conduct detrimental to the league.” The suspension follows an incident where Morant was seen in an Instagram Live video holding a gun at a nightclub outside Denver earlier this month.

The league said an investigation “did not conclude that the gun at issue belonged to Morant, was brought by him into the nightclub or was displayed by him beyond a brief period.” The suspension includes the five games Morant has already missed since the incident and Memphis’ games on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement, “Ja’s conduct was irresponsible, reckless and potentially very dangerous. It also has serious consequences given his enormous following and influence, particularly among young fans who look up to him.”

The investigation also did not find that Morant possessed the gun while traveling with the team or in any NBA facility. The games already missed will count toward the suspension, and Morant will forfeit about $669,000 in salary.

Morant is the second NBA player to be suspended this season for a gun-related incident. The league has taken a hard stance on gun-related incidents and has been vocal about its commitment to player safety.