JJ Redick comes under fire after Ja Morant comments
JJ Redick on Wednesday doubled down on his Tuesday take on the possible pending punishment for Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant. And some Twitter users who were shocked to hear his opinion subsequently roasted him online.
Morant was seen playing with a gun while singing along to a rap song live on Instagram on Sunday. Memphis has suspended him from all team activities in the wake of his latest off-court issue.
The NBA suspended Morant for eight games without pay for a similar video from a Denver, Colorado, strip club in March. Also, he was reportedly was involved in two different incidents in the summer, including brandishing a gun in front of a teenager, and there was an alleged red laser pointed at the Indiana Pacers' bus in late January.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver spoke about Morant's latest incident before the draft lottery on Tuesday. He said he was shocked when he first saw the video.
On ESPN's "First Take" on Wednesday, JJ Redick reiterated his Tuesday comments, which came during a discussion of how long the suspension should be. Redick proposed a 16-game suspension. ESPN's Stephen A. Smith said Morant should be suspended at least 25 games.
"As far as we know, all of these things have been investigated and no law has been broken," Redick said. "I'm not condoning the behavior. I'm not saying there should be no punishment. There should be. There should be consequences. You are the face of the league. You are representing the NBA. You are a role model to young kids. All of that. I don't think half a season is the right answer.
"So why are we trying to lay down the hammer on a 23-year-old who didn't break a law. Explain that to me!"
@TheNBACentral @awfulannouncing It’s not about breaking a law. It’s about using your platform to be an example.
@TheNBACentral @awfulannouncing He trying get Ja on his team if he ever head coach
@TheNBACentral @awfulannouncing I get what JJ saying, but this being the second time in a short time frame doesn’t help Ja Morants case. The hope is a more severe punishment will get Ja Morant to understand the influence and power he holds. If he gets like 16 or 20 games I’m not sure that’ll do it. Might have… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
@TheNBACentral @awfulannouncing I like JJ but he’s wrong on this one, he signed a contract with Memphis and the league, there’s rule he must abide by.
@TheNBACentral @awfulannouncing Terrible take
@TheNBACentral @awfulannouncing When you represent a brand, you have to be mindful of your actions at all times.
@TheNBACentral @awfulannouncing Why? It's pretty clear. This guy is a public figure, and he probably has fans as young as 13 or even younger. So when he waves a gun around without caring about safety, what kind of message is that sending ? And that's just the beginning of it. Even if you argue that he can't… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
@TheNBACentral @awfulannouncing This isn’t about breaking a law. 🤣🤣🤣
@TheNBACentral @awfulannouncing JJ needs help and he’s wrong about this
Many fans brought up the fact that Ja Morant is supposed to be a role model for young kids all over the globe. All these incidents concerning Morant send out the wrong message.
Morant could also possibly lose multiple brand deals because of his behavior and bad image.
Morant has deals with Nike and Coca-Cola. These mega-corporations may jump ship if their reputation is damaged by partnering with Morant.
How long could Ja Morant be suspended?
Former NBA player O.J. Mayo holds the record for longest suspension for a player who was not permanently banned from the NBA. He was banned for two full seasons after doping. It's unlikely Morant's ban would come even close to that, but if any more problems come his way, his career could be in serious jeopardy.
A 20-game ban has been thrown around by many observers. Twenty games would crack the top 10 for longest suspensions in NBA history. The Grizzlies will have to be careful about Morant when he returns because the world will be watching and some fans might look to provoke him.
The ice is thin for Morant.