Grizzlies' Ja Morant being investigated by Colorado police after flashing gun on social media
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant is being investigated by police in Glendale, Colorado, after he appeared to flash a gun at a nightclub in the city during an Instagram Live video over the weekend, Colorado police confirmed Monday.
Glendale police captain Jamie Dillon told the Associated Press on Monday they didn't receive any calls or complaints about Morant, but began looking into the situation after hearing about the video. Colorado has open-carry laws for firearms "regulated by local county and municipal authorities." NBA rules also "prohibit a player from possessing a firearm while on team property or traveling on team business," according to ESPN.
— Glendale CO Police (@Glendale_PD_CO) March 7, 2023
The Grizzlies already said Morant would be away from the team for a minimum of two games, although head coach Taylor Jenkins said Saturday the team has no timetable for Morant's return.
“The focus right now is Ja’s taking responsibility to really get the help he needs to get to a better place, generally speaking, but also on the flip side to be in a better place to embrace the responsibility and expectations as a member of this team,” Jenkins said. "That’s what we’re dialoguing about. That’s what we're going to support him through, but we’re also going to hold him accountable, too.”
Morant issued an apology via his agent where he added that he plans to "take some time away."
Much has been reported and written about Morant in the past week after a Washington Post article claimed he repeatedly punched a teenage boy in the head and threatened him with a gun last summer, just days after he and others allegedly threatened the head of security at a Memphis mall. In January, associates of Morant were also accused of threatening staff members of the Indiana Pacers after a game with a red laser coming from a slow-moving SUV that Morant was riding in.
The Grizzlies have been on Morant recently, too. According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, they held a players-only meeting to discuss issues they've been having on road games before Morant's incident with the gun. Veteran Steven Adams apparently ran that meeting, and it was clear that he was directing the criticism at Morant and Morant alone. The Grizzlies are just 12-20 on the road.
This all comes in the midst of his fourth — and arguably best — season in the NBA where Morant earned his second All-Star nod and averaged 27.1 points per game and 8.2 assists per game. The Grizzles also currently sit second in the Western Conference behind the Denver Nuggets and a game up on the third-place Sacramento Kings with 18 games left in the regular season.
