NBPA Believes Ja Morant's Suspension Is 'Excessive And Inappropriate'

After the NBA gave Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant a 25-game suspension following his second Instagram Live gun incident, the National Basketball Player's Association, or NBPA, has stepped in to express their unhappiness with the suspension length.

The NBPA issued a statement following the announcement of Morant's suspension.

"Ja has expressed his remorse and accepted responsibility for his actions, and we support him unequivocally as he does whatever is necessary to represent himself, our players, and our league in the best possible light," Tamika Tremaglio, NBPA Executive Director, said in a statement.

"As to the discipline imposed, which keeps him off the court until December and requires some unstated conditions to be met before he can return, we believe it is excessive and inappropriate for several reasons, including the facts involved in this particular incident, and that it is not fair and consistent with past discipline in our league. We will explore with Ja all options and next steps."

According to USA Today, Tremaglio was present at Morant's meeting with the NBA in March after his first IG Live gun incident. The 23-year-old NBA star was given an eight-game suspension then, and the NBPA didn't release a statement regarding an unfair punishment.

It's expected that this time around, the NBPA will file an appeal to hopefully get the length of suspension reduced or to at least provide more clarity on the goals that must be met before Morant can return to the court.

According to CBS Sports, Morant has 30 days to challenge the suspension by filing a grievance with the league office. An arbitrator would then be brought in to decide if the rest should be reduced or kept at 25 games.

Not long after the Grizzlies star's suspension was announced, he issued a statement that included an apology to all those who have supported him.

"I've had time to reflect and realize how much hurt I've caused. I want to apologize to the NBA, the Grizzlies, my teammates, and the city of Memphis. To Adam Silver, Zach Kleiman, and Robert Pera -- who allowed me to be a professional athlete and have supported me -- I'm sorry for the harm I've done. To the kids who look up to me, I'm sorry for failing you as a role model. I promise I'm going to be better. To all of my sponsors, I will better represent our brands. And to all of my fans, I'm going to make it up to you; I promise," his statement reads.

"I'm spending the offseason and suspension continuing to work on my mental health and decision-making. I will also be training to be ready to go when I can return to the court. I know my teammates will hold it down, and I'm so sorry I won't be out there with you at the beginning of the season. I hope you'll allow me to prove to you over time that I'm a better man than what I've been showing you."

With whom Morant has a signature shoe deal, Nike said they would stand by him.

"Nike is pleased that Morant is taking accountability and prioritizing his well-being," the shoe and apparel giant said. "We will continue to support him on and off the court."