NBA completes investigation of Ja Morant scandal, suspends Grizzlies star for 8 matches

In the latest announcement released by the NBA's executive board, Ja Morant will be suspended for eight games without pay for "careless and lack of restraint".

This penalty comes after the NBA completed its investigation into the Memphis Grizzlies star, who showed off a gun on a livestream on his personal page at 5 am on March 4, US time.

Plus the 5 games that have been sidelined since the incident, Morant will have to miss 3 more games before being able to return as early as March 20, when the Memphis Grizzlies face the Dallas Mavericks.

However, it is highly likely that Ja Morant will not play in this match due to his lack of physical strength. According to Chris Herrington of the Daily Memphian, Ja will need a few more days to practice before officially returning.

Here is the announcement from the NBA about Ja Morant's case:

Mr. Adam Silver added that Morant's behavior was "irresponsible, careless and could put others at risk. In addition, it has serious consequences because Morant has a huge following and supporters, including children."

Over the past year, Ja Morant has been involved in many scandals outside the football field including:

- Allegedly punching a teenager "12 or 13 times" according to the Washington Post. Morant claimed he was acting in self-defence. The teen alleges that Morant had a gun in the back of his pants as a way to intimidate him.

- A shopping mall security guard said he was threatened by Morant and some friends after Morant's mother allegedly got into an argument with an employee at a Finish Line store. No arrests have been made as a result of this incident.

- In February, the NBA confirmed that it was investigating a situation that took place in Memphis on January 29 after the game against the Indiana Pacers. Members of the Indiana crew said they were hit by a highly likely red laser from a gun. That light came from the 7-seater car carrying Ja Morant.

The positive thing is that Ja Morant understood that his behavior was wrong, took full responsibility for the incident and apologized to all involved.

"I apologize to my family, teammates, coaches, fans, partners, the city of Memphis and the entire organization for letting you down," Morant wrote in a statement after the video was posted.

Reputable news sites say Morant sought help from psychologists in the state of Florida, where he completely separates from basketball. Now, he will begin the physical recovery process to be able to return to the competition soon.