Memphis Grizzlies veteran center Steven Adams reportedly spoke at a players-only meeting and told his teammates that they should buckle up while traveling for games given his dismal road record.
The meeting happened before Ja Morant was seen on a live stream appearing to brandish a gun at a nightclub after the Grizzlies’ game on Friday night against the Denver Nuggets, The Athletic reported Monday. NBA reporter Shams Charania explained the issue on Bally Sports’ «The Rally.»
«There was a player-only meeting where Steven Adams, their veteran center, talked about how the team needs to show better discipline on the road. How they need to stay away from going out when they’re on the road,» Charania said.
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Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies and Steven Adams #4 of the Memphis Grizzlies celebrate together during the game against the San Antonio Spurs at FedExForum on February 28, 2022 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Justin Ford/Getty Images)
«Those in the room, when Steven Adams spoke, knew exactly who he was addressing this to: it was none other than Ja Morant. Clearly, still, Ja Morant came out in the early hours of Saturday. That video was posted with a gun and there are questions. Was the gun yours? Did you have a license? Did you travel with the gun? Where did the gun come from? Was it from a friend? How many other guns were there? Is it legal to carry a gun in the area they were in?
Memphis is 12-20 on the road.
Morant is now under a police investigation in Colorado in the wake of the incident. Glendale police Capt. Jamie Dillon told The Associated Press that authorities received no calls or complaints about Morant’s actions, but began investigating them Saturday after learning of the video that circulated on social media.
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Ja Morant #12 and Steven Adams #4 of the Memphis Grizzlies interact in the second quarter of a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center on November 30, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (David Berding/Getty Images)
Police are investigating whether Morant broke any laws.
There is no timetable for Morant’s return to the team, coach Taylor Jenkins said Sunday before facing the Los Angeles Clippers. The superstar point guard was going to be out of the team for at least two games.
Jenkins said Morant has made «tough decisions and bad decisions» that he has to hold accountable for.
March 3, 2023; Denver, Colorado, United States; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) dribbles during the first quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. (Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)
«He’s definitely coming to terms with the mistakes he’s made, but only time will tell. We’ll support him and hold him accountable for making those changes,» Jenkins said, declining to set out the exact steps Morant needed to take to return to the Grizzlies.
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«We love him, we want the best for him, we support him. It’s going to be a tough process, but we have a great group to get us through this.»
Jenkins added that it was «an ongoing healing process.»
Morant issued an apology for the incident.
Steven Adams #4 looks on against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on January 31, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
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«I take full responsibility for my actions last night,» Morant said. «I’m sorry to my family, teammates, coaches, fans, partners, the city of Memphis and the entire Grizzlies organization for letting them down. I will take time to get help and work to learn better methods of dealing with stress and my general well-being.