Roughly two months after Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant was suspended for showing a gun on an Instagram Live video in March, a similar incident unfurled in May 2023 after the team's elimination from the playoffs. Morant was suspended beginning on May 14 from all team activities.
NBA TV's Chris Miles joined the Fan on Monday (May 15), where he discussed the incident, his take and what it means going forward for Morant.
"I don't think I'm at liberty to say, but I think what we're seeing with him is kind of the tip of the iceberg," Miles said. "You know, we say 'oh, this guy [might] mess up his career.' I think, for Ja, it's whether or not he's messed up his life, and I think that's the key. Whenever you start to mention [that] the NBA was in contact with the FBI, [...] think about the situation he's in and the people he's dealing with.
"These are actual drug dealers and he's exchanging money, saying to them, like, 'thank you for supporting me.' Well, they're using this money to purchase drugs, so if these guys at any point are recorded as giving Ja Morant any money back, he's going to prison."
Though the Grizzlies failed to advance out of the NBA playoffs' first round, losing to the Lakers, Morant and co. still finished with a 51-31 record. That was good enough for second in the Western Conference, just two games back of the Denver Nuggets.
"I love watching Ja Morant play basketball," Miles added. "I've interviewed him two or three time and [have] just really been excited for his career. But when you start speaking in terms of the FBI and illegal drugs, come on, man. That seems like a bit much and I hope that that's not the case, and that he cleans up all of this."
Listen to more of the segment below.