Morant suspended 25 games by NBA after gun video

After weeks of discussions and predictions, the NBA finally announced the disqualification for Ja Morant. The player guilty of flashing a gun in May during a live Instagram after committing a similar stunt in March at a Denver strip club, also immortalized on IG Live, will be stopped for the first 25 games of next season.

emulation risk

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A penalty certainly not soft but which, according to the harsh words that Adam Silver had pronounced during the NBA finals, could have been even heavier. In fact, many predicted, after the eight-match disqualification for Morant’s first slip, a stop of more or less half of the next season. “Ja’s choice to take up a gun live on social media is worrying, also considering the fact that he was the protagonist of a similar episode in March for which he was suspended for eight matches – underlines the commissioner in an official statement – We are worried about the copycat effect that this behavior could have on the younger ones. So we think a 25-game ban is appropriate.”

bloodletting

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The suspension for the first 25 games of next season effectively deprives Ja Morant of any potential prize at the end of the season, given that, with the new collective agreement, a player will have to take part in at least 65 regular season games in order to become eligible for the NBA Awards. The suspension will also affect the Grizzlies star’s finances as he is fined $7.6 million, $304,545 for each game he misses. “During this period I have reflected a lot on my behavior – comments Morant with an official statement – and I realized that I had hurt many people. I want to apologize to the NBA, my teammates and the city of Memphis. To the guys who look up to me as a role model, I just want to say I’m sorry I let them down, from now on I’ll try to be a better person.”