The impact of Ja Morant's suspension could extend beyond this season.
On March 15, the NBA announced that Morant had been suspended eight games for conduct detrimental to the league after he live streamed a video of himself "holding a firearm in an intoxicated state while visiting a Denver area nightclub." Not only was he suspended without pay, but his absence could impact his All-NBA case, which is tied to his future earnings.
Here's how much Morant's suspension cost him and the value behind another All-NBA selection.
MORE: The key stats you need to know in razor-thin MVP debate
How much did Ja Morant's suspension cost him?
The No. 2 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Morant is in the final year of his rookie contract. His salary has increased each season he's been in the NBA, climbing from $8.7 million in 2019-20 to $12.1 million in 2022-23.
According to ESPN's Bobby Marks, Morant's eight-game suspension cost him a total of $668,659.
Suspension will cost Morant a total of $668,659.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) March 15, 2023
His 5 year $194.3M rookie max extension kicks in next season.
There’s a much bigger picture to all of this besides the financial element. https://t.co/5od4VTFjV2
That's the second-most a player has lost due to a fine or suspension in the 2022-23 season, per Spotrac, trailing only Kyrie Irving, whose eight-game suspension in November cost him $2 million.
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Why Ja Morant's future salary is tied to All-NBA selection
Prior to the 2022-23 season, Morant agreed to a five-year extension with the Grizzlies that is projected to be worth $194 million. His extension could increase to $233 million if he's named Most Valuable Player, Defensive Player of the Year or he earns an All-NBA selection this season.
Of the three, Morant is most likely to earn a spot on one of the three All-NBA teams. He's not considered to be one of the leading MVP candidates and his teammate Jaren Jackson Jr. is the main reason Memphis has the league's second-best defense.
| Season | If Morant doesn't make All-NBA | If Morant makes All-NBA |
| 2023-24 | $33,500,000 | $40,200,000 |
| 2024-25 | $36,180,000 | $43,416,000 |
| 2025-26 | $38,860,000 | $46,632,000 |
| 2026-27 | $41,540,000 | $49,848,000 |
| 2027-28 | $44,220,000 | $53,064,000 |
| Total | $194,300,000 | $233,160,000 |
Morant made the All-NBA Second Team last season with averages of 27.4 points, 6.7 assists and 5.7 rebounds over 57 games. He's averaging 27.1 points, 8.2 assists and 6.0 rebounds through 53 games this season. Morant could end up playing more games this season — the Grizzlies have 11 games remaining on their schedule — but he faces stiffer competition at the guard position than last season.
"It would be hard to see him getting All-NBA at this point," Brian Windhorst said on ESPN's The Hoop Collective podcast. "Not because of like as a result of the suspension, but because the competition for the guard spots is so high and the voters are already looking to kind of break ties so to speak.
"Regardless of what you think about it, if you're not available to your team for a self-inflicted situation like this, it affects your candidacy."
Here are some of the players Morant could be competing with for the six available All-NBA guard spots:
- James Harden, 76ers
- Jrue Holiday, Bucks
- Darius Garland, Cavaliers
- Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers
- Trae Young, Hawks
- De'Aaron Fox, Kings
- Jalen Brunson, Knicks
- Luka Doncic, Mavericks
- Kyrie Irving, Mavericks
- Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers
- Devin Booker, Suns
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
- Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves
- Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers
- Stephen Curry, Warriors
Morant will make a lot of money on his next contract regardless, but he has nearly 40 million reasons to follow this season's All-NBA results.
