How long is Ja Morant suspended? Explaining the Grizzlies star's ban to start 2023-24 NBA season

Jordan Greer

How long is Ja Morant suspended? Explaining the Grizzlies star's ban to start 2023-24 NBA season image

If the Grizzlies want to replicate their success from last season, they will need role players to step up in Ja Morant's absence.

The All-Star guard will serve a lengthy suspension to start the 2023-24 campaign. The NBA handed down the punishment after investigating multiple videos posted on social media that featured Morant brandishing guns.

Back in March, Morant was suspended for eight games after the league determined that he was "holding a firearm in an intoxicated state while visiting a Denver area nightclub." Then, in May, he was seen holding a gun in a car.

How long will Morant's latest suspension last?

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How long is Ja Morant suspended?

Morant has been suspended for 25 games. That means he will only be available for a maximum of 57 games during the 2023-24 regular season.

The Athletic's Sam Amick and Joe Vardon reported that the suspension "will not be shortened at any point," but it is also not expected to extend beyond 25 games.

"The league and the Players Association and Ja and his people are in constant communication with this, and are all working together on this," NBA executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars told The Athletic. "From a league office standpoint, with the Players Association, with Ja and his people, everybody is collaborating together on this to make sure that this kid makes a smooth transition back to the league — whenever that is.

"This is not the type of stuff you can [discuss] publicly and start talking about what's happening behind the scenes, but it is happening."

In 2022-23, Morant played a total of 61 games. He has logged at least 57 games in each of his four NBA seasons.

How much will suspension cost Ja Morant?

Morant's suspension will cost him $304,545 per game, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks. That means Morant will lose more than $7.6 million this season.

Morant's salary will increase from $12.1 million in 2022-23 to $34.0 million in 2023-24 because he is entering the first year of the designated rookie extension that he signed with the Grizzlies in July 2022.

That deal is worth $197.2 million and runs through the 2027-28 season, per Spotrac.

Ja Morant Contract
Season Age Salary
2023-24 24 $34.0 million
2024-25 25 $36.7 million
2025-26 26 $39.4 million
2026-27 27 $42.2 million
2027-28 28 $44.9 million

Ja Morant suspension timeline

May 13 — Morant is seen brandishing a gun in an Instagram Live video, which begins circulating on social media.

May 14 — The Grizzlies announce that Morant has been suspended from all team activities.

May 14 — ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Morant is facing the possibility of a "lengthy" suspension to start the 2023-24 season.

"[NBA commissioner Adam Silver] has pretty wide-ranging latitude in terms of best interests of the league, conduct detrimental to the NBA, to suspend Ja Morant without pay for a significant period to start the season," Wojnarowski said.

.@wojespn provides the latest on Ja Morant and his suspension: pic.twitter.com/Dw1fVFn9vn

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 14, 2023

May 16 — Morant addresses the gun video in a statement.

"I know I've disappointed a lot of people who have supported me. This is a journey and I recognize there is more work to do," Morant said. "My words may not mean much right now, but I take full accountability for my actions. I'm committed to continuing to work on myself."

May 16 — Ahead of the NBA Draft Lottery, Silver speaks to ESPN's Malika Andrews about Morant's actions.

"Honestly, I was shocked when I saw this weekend, that video," Silver said. "We are in the process of investigating it. We'll figure out what happened to the best we can. Again, the video's a bit grainy and all that, but I'm assuming the worst.

"We'll figure out exactly what happened there."

“Honestly, I was shocked when I saw this weekend — that video. Now, we’re in the process of investigating it."

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver spoke on Ja Morant after his latest video. pic.twitter.com/W0lX4E2fa4

— ESPN (@espn) May 16, 2023

June 1 — Ahead of the NBA Finals, Silver indicates that league officials had decided upon a punishment but elected to wait until the conclusion of the series in order to keep the focus on the Nuggets and Heat.

"We've uncovered a fair amount of additional information," Silver said (via ESPN's Tim MacMahon). "We probably could have brought it to a head now, but we've made the decision that it would be unfair to these players and these teams to announce that decision in the middle of this series."

June 16 — Morant is suspended for 25 games.

The following has been released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/dzDSb4uCk3

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) June 16, 2023

Jordan Greer

Jordan Greer Photo

Jordan Greer has been with The Sporting News since 2015. He previously worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He is a graduate of Westminster College and Syracuse University.