Ja Morant, the franchise player for the Memphis Grizzlies, will serve a 25-game suspension for a second gun-related incident during an Instagram Live, the NBA announced on Friday.
This is a devastating blow for a Grizzlies team that is seemingly knocking on the door of championship contention, as it is hard to imagine them winning most of those games without them.
Plus, this discipline would have huge financial implications for the 23-year-old.
Morant signed his first major NBA contract extension last summer, and it will be in effect for next season, but unfortunately for him, he will lose more than $300,000 for each game he is docked.
As NBA analyst Bobby Marks pointed out, this meant the All-Star would lose $7.6 million.
Ja Morant’s 25-game suspension will cost him $7.6M.
$304,545 for each missed game
Morant is entering the first year of the $194 million rookie max extension he signed last July.
— Bobby Marks (@bobbymarks42) June 16, 2023
Some may think that with the insane amount of NBA stars, $7.6 million will be just a drop in the bucket when it’s all said and done, but the financial impact of Morant’s suspension could go beyond his NBA contract.
Apparently he’s in danger of losing at least one of his corporate endorsement deals, which includes a huge contract with sneaker giant Nike.
Morant is one of the NBA’s best and most exciting stars, and as such, many fans, especially very young fans, look up to him.
This makes him a role model, even though many athletes and celebrities should not be role models, and it is one thing that worries people about gun-related incidents.
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NBA Players Association reacts to Ja Morant’s suspension