"Horrible days" - Ja Morant opens up on experiencing emotional rollercoaster during 25-game suspension
One of the biggest stories of the NBA offseason was Ja Morant getting suspended for 25 games. As he approaches the finals days of his suspension period, the All-Star guard opened up on what his journey has been like over the last two months.
Ja Morant was given the suspension because of his actions off the court. Towards the end of last season, he was seen holding a firearm live on social media. On investigations from the league office, the NBA had no choice but to hand out a lofty punishment.
During his first press conference of the year, Morant touched on how tough it has been for him being away from the team. He also cited how the support of the Memphis Grizzlies organization helped him a lot.
"It was definitely tough. Some horrible days," Morant said. "The support that I had throughout this process, it definitely helped me a lot."
As of now, it's not clear on when Ja Morant will make his season debut. The first game he will be eligible to take the floor is Dec. 19, a road matchup for the Grizzlies against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Ja Morant takes blame for Memphis Grizzlies' poor start
Last season, the Memphis Grizzlies finished with the second best record in the Western Conference. Through the first quarter of this season, they find themselves at the opposite end of the standings.
The Grizzlies are 13th in the West, with a record of 6-17. The only teams with a worse record are the Portland Trail Blazers and the San Antionio Spurs.
One of the main reasons why the Grizzlies have struggled is not having Ja Morant in the lineup. He's the main hub of their offense, so his absence left a massive void to fill. The All-Star guard took full blame for how the team has come out of the gates this year:
"I take full responsibility of that. Obviously even though I'm not on the floor, the decisions I made didn't allow me to be out there to go to battle with my team."
Memphis ended November strongly but once again find themselves in a losing skid. Despite a 44-point performance from Jaren Jackson Jr., they were unable to take down the Houston Rockets to end their losing streak. With the loss, the Grizzlies are 1-4 in their last five games.
If Memphis wants any chance of turning their season around, they will need Morant to hit the ground running on his return to action.