Adam Silver Discusses Whether Ja Morant's Sanction Incorporates 'A Signal to Others'

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addressed the disciplinary situation regarding Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant on "NBA Countdown" before Game 3 of the 2023 NBA Finals.

[{"selector":"#anim-dccb0649-650f-47c9-a666-754ea3c63fa0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a648121d-0283-44e4-8383-e9174e817830","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(123.59154%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-91fbac87-6c1b-4a7c-a9ef-f526575fa639","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Stephen A. Smith questioned whether the decision would serve to set an example for the rest of the League, to which Silver agreed but with caution.

[{"selector":"#anim-5f08b0fa-de2d-476b-ab79-055081020877","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6cc01c70-a822-4516-9ad3-a0ec717695ba","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(125.00000%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3cfa708c-7ebc-4a44-96d7-56609ffafb51","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Silver emphasized the need to consider the individual player's conduct and be careful not to unfairly punish them in the process of sending a broader message.

[{"selector":"#anim-b857c53e-5711-4fe0-8ce3-7a7fa9ae0dc8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9837a9da-56b1-46c1-bd2a-b13d0df22cdb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.58442%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-348dec1b-0a14-4649-a1a8-f430bde612c7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Morant was suspended from all team activities after he was seen flashing a firearm on Instagram Live, leading to an investigation by the NBA.

[{"selector":"#anim-c7edfe61-c73f-4a32-919e-34eecf9fddb6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-254967fb-44e9-43aa-b459-90e17c33b1ae","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(116.33988%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a8f2fdac-fc8f-498f-b207-f61b6b56daf6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Silver stated that the league considers a player's prior conduct and the seriousness of the current infraction when determining disciplinary action.

[{"selector":"#anim-78c5f0f4-a178-4fde-971e-9dc4bcac3a48","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b3119a14-8641-410a-a4ed-63db9fdb4429","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(117.21854%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f947274e-d696-4ce5-ac92-0351286cd656","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

The investigation has concluded, but the decision won't be announced until after the NBA Finals to avoid disruption.

[{"selector":"#anim-1fe34dd8-1648-43c3-bfe2-91532a472b59","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5acadce2-e5de-4f66-90f5-9e323c47fc94","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(120.13652%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b2ffe29a-8bb4-474b-af9c-2f51bf011046","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

The Memphis Grizzlies have suspended Morant indefinitely, with the length of his NBA suspension being widely speculated upon by fans and journalists.

[{"selector":"#anim-65230986-1c73-474c-bd89-d225c5440209","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8df248ee-b9e5-413a-9a3c-e6a9a0a6e4c5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(116.77631%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d6a46afa-b79f-4611-99ff-3d4a25b43994","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

ESPN journalist Wojnarowski suggested that Morant's suspension could be 17 or 18 games, rendering him ineligible for postseason awards according to a new NBA rule.

[{"selector":"#anim-d1f03627-7fbd-46a7-a772-d9b0387d2e51","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fc562db2-a93f-4c47-939f-7e802a8c3c00","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(132.82443%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a375062d-5767-45fc-93ab-f163749d0616","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Wojnarowski also emphasized that Silver's decision will have significant implications for both the Grizzlies' season and Morant's career.

[{"selector":"#anim-a45eb4cf-49f4-4f03-93bc-7b647531570d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0ab7953a-ce81-4015-93a4-20524f958a64","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(113.91585%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4da43bb6-d30e-4501-bdb6-778d4b3f882c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

He also mentioned that there's little empathy around the NBA for Morant's situation, with pressure from some teams for harsh punishment.

[{"selector":"#anim-37a06466-0bf2-4424-9848-69a706ac2422","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c3757792-7713-4911-960b-937c6d3e1790","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(119.51221%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b340c6fc-43c4-4c3b-883c-dfe3221244b9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more