Grizzlies' Ja Morant still checking in with Adam Silver following suspension

Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant’s season has been over since January. After serving his 25-game suspension to open the season Morant returned to the roster and suited up for nine games before a shoulder injury ended his year.

While Morant’s schedule has been pretty open for some time with the Grizzlies winning just 27 games, the Memphis star isn’t done dealing with NBA officials. In this instance, that’s the league’s top executive, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. 

Morant and his personal team have been engaging in a check-in system to hold the 24-year-old accountable for his actions. There were two incidents in early 2023 where Morant was caught on camera brandishing a gun. 

"He and I have checked in with each other over the course of the season but more importantly, working with the players' association, we have regular check-ins with him and his team around him and have done that throughout the year. All the reports have come back very positive," Silver said.

Hopefully, the positive feedback continues as Morant is one of the brightest young stars in the Association. He was a major part of the Grizzlies' resurgence the past couple of years so it’s clear why they struggled without him this year. 

Staying on the right track will be key moving forward because Morant won’t have nearly as much grace in the future, especially off the court. Many people thought 25 games was too harsh but he’s lucky to be playing under Silver’s watch. 

Had any of this happened under the watch of former Commissioner David Stern, Morant may have been forced to sit out an entire campaign. Stern suspended Metta Sandiford-Artest of the Indiana Pacers for what amounted to 86 games (73 regular season + 13 playoff games) during the 2004-05 season for igniting the "Malice at the Palace" brawl in Detroit. 

The Grizzlies need Morant on the court when healthy, so hopefully he’s learned from all he’s been through over the past year.