Grizzlies All-Star guard Ja Morant and Hornets forward Miles Bridges will each serve lengthy suspensions to begin the 2023-24 NBA season.
Morant, who posed with a firearm in a car during an Instagram live on May 13, has been suspended for the first 25 games of the season for conduct detrimental to the league.
Bridges has been handed a 30-game suspension as a result of a 2022 domestic violence incident involving the mother of his children. He will only miss the first 10 games of the 2023-24 season as the NBA deemed 20 games of the suspension have already been served. (Bridges did not sign an NBA contract for the 2022-23 season and therefore missed all 82 games.)
While the length of each suspension is tied to regular-season games, neither Morant nor Bridges will be able to participate in preseason action.
Why Grizzlies' Ja Morant isn't eligible to play in NBA preseason
In the official news release, the NBA outlined the conditions of Morant's suspension meant that he was ineligible to participate in preseason games while suspended.
Here is more from the NBA:
[Morant] will also be required to meet certain conditions before he returns to play and will be ineligible to participate in any public league or team activities, including preseason games, during the course of his suspension.
It is worth noting that a month prior to the NBA's announcement, Morant was suspended from all team activities, a potential precursor for his inability to participate in the preseason.
When is Ja Morant eligible to play?
Ja Morant is eligible to return to play on Dec. 19, 2023, when the Grizzlies visit the Pelicans. It will be Memphis' 26th game of the 2023-24 regular season. That includes the two additional In-Season Tournament games the Grizzlies will play following the group stage.
MORE: How Grizzlies are impacted by Ja Morant suspension
Why Hornets' Miles Bridges isn't eligible to play in NBA preseason
When Bridges' suspension was announced, the NBA outlined that "he will be required to miss the first 10 games for which he is otherwise eligible and able to play."
The wording in the announcement regarding Bridges' suspension does not make mention of anything outside of regular season games and makes no mention of the preseason.
Similar to Morant, Bridges' suspension will not allow him to play in the preseason, as outlined by The Charlotte Observer. Bridges is permitted to travel with the team and participate in game day shootarounds but he is not allowed to be in the arena from two hours prior to tip-off and onward.
When is Miles Bridges eligible to play?
Miles Bridges is eligible to return to play on Nov. 17, 2023, when the Hornets host the Bucks. It will be Charlotte's 11th game of the 2023-24 regular season.
Bridges last played on April 13, 2022, when the Hornets were eliminated from the NBA Play-In Tournament.
