Morant eligible to travel, practice with Grizzlies during suspension

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Memphis Grizzlies star point guard Ja Morant will be able to practice and travel with the team as he serves his 25-game suspension, team officials announced Monday.

Head Coach Taylor Jenkins said in an interview as part of media day that Morant will be around the team full-time, allowing him to be fully integrated into the roster as soon as the suspension is served.

“I think it’s great for Ja and it’s great for the group,” General Manager Zach Kleiman said. “...The NBA’s basically said that as long as Ja continues to stay on track, he’s going to be cleared to participate in all team activities--practices, shootarounds, traveling with the team. [...] We can’t wait to have him back game 26.”

Morant is suspended for the first 25 games of the 2023-24 season without pay for conduct detrimental to the league.

The suspension comes in light of a social media post showing Morant brandishing a pistol on May 13.

It was the second such incident in the span of months--Morant was previously suspended for eight games for flashing a gun on Instagram while he was at a nightclub in Colorado.

The absence means the Memphis Grizzlies, who finished last season with the second best record in the Western Conference, will be without their star point guard for a large chunk of the 2023-24 season.

The Grizzlies were 12-10 without their All-Star point guard last season.

He will be eligible to return on December 19 against the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Grizzlies will tip off the 2023-24 preseason on October 8, while their season opener will come at home on October 25 against the Pelicans.

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