NBA Commissioner Adam Silver waited until the conclusion of the 2023 NBA Finals before announcing Ja Morant’s punishment for his second gun-flashing incident.
Morant was handed a 25-game suspension to start off the 2023-24 NBA season. Speaking of which, NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith speculated whether Morant’s punishment was severe because he lied to Adam Silver.
“You think when Ja Morant ultimately got an eight-game suspension and come to the office of Adam Silver, and then ultimately in the immediate aftermath of that interview with Adam Silver that day, he sat down with ESPN’s Jalen Rose, looked him in the face, and said, ‘Yo, I’m not that dude. I’m not that person. It was not my gun. I’m not about that life. I’m not about that element, blah blah,'” Smith said.
The veteran analyst added: “That’s what he said. Why do you think he got this 25-game suspension? Could it be because he lied to Adam Silver? Could it be because he looked him in the face and said, ‘I’m not about that life. That’s not how I’m living. It was an aberration. It’s never happen again. You don’t have to worry about a thing with me, sir. I’m good.’ And then went out and did the damn thing again.”
“So what I’m saying to you is, If you’re Adam Silver, what were you supposed to do? What did you think he was going to do? The commissioner of the league and you’re going to tolerate somebody looking you in your face and lying, spitting in your face, figuratively speaking, and telling you it’s raining? You think you are going to get away with that?”
You think you can lie directly to Adam Silver’s face and get away with it? pic.twitter.com/p6cCBGL3mU
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) June 16, 2023
A couple of weeks ago, Stephen A. Smith made the case for why a one-year suspension may be too extreme for Ja Morant. But he is certainly on board with the 25-game suspension handed to Ja for his actions.
After all, he lied to the NBA Commissioner about making changes in his behavior, and it took him less than two months to back out on his claims.
Following the 25-game suspension, Morant is on track to lose more than $50 million due to his off-court issues. Hopefully, Ja can get his life and career back on track.
Ja Morant Released A Statement After Receiving A 25-Game Suspension
Ja Morant is undoubtedly an elite player in the league. He finished the 2022-23 NBA season with 26.2 PPG, 5.9 RPG, and 8.1 APG over 61 games.
But Morant’s off-court controversies created a negative vibe around him. Following the 26-game suspension, Morant released a statement where he took the accountability for his actions.
He once again vowed to improve himself and return to playing basketball with nothing but complete focus. Unfortunately, Morant has lost the media and fans’ trust. He can rebuild that trust, but only if he actually improves his behavior.
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