Memphis, Tenn. , memphis grizzlies Coach Taylor Jenkins said Thursday that members of the organization had spoken with the All-Star guard ja morant He spoke about his off-the-court conduct before posting a video in which he appeared to be brandishing a gun at a strip club.
The team was hoping to avoid a situation like what happened last weekend, which forced Morant to be sidelined for at least six games, Jenkins said Thursday night before the game against Golden State Warriors,
“We’ve had conversations in the past to guide him and help him grow as a person and as a player,” Jenkins said of the discussions ahead of the event in Glendale, Colorado. “Obviously, it came up the other day, so we put the process into action.”
Morant, the team’s leading scorer, livestreamed video of himself with the apparent weapon on his Instagram account on Saturday morning. nuggets Beat the Grizzlies on Friday night. Glendale police said Wednesday that there is not enough evidence to pursue criminal charges against Morant.
The Grizzlies initially announced that the 23-year-old would miss at least two games. Shortly after Glendale police said they would not pursue charges, the team said he would miss at least four more games.
This means the earliest Morant could return is March 17. San Antonio, The Grizzlies entered Thursday’s game tied for second in the Western Conference with Sacramento.
Jenkins said, “There are definitely steps that have to be taken – personally and professionally – as he deals with some things personally in order to get better.”
Morant’s absence comes with Memphis on a three-game losing streak. reserve center brandon clark Tore his left Achilles tendon in a Friday night loss at Denver, ending his season. The team also announced that starting center on Thursday steven adamsThe knee injury, which was expected to return to action soon, will be re-evaluated in four weeks.
But Morant’s situation has gotten the most attention because of concerns about the behavior of one of the NBA’s most exciting players.
“Everyone wants to know what it’s going to be,” Jenkins said of Morant’s absence. “It’s definitely a hot topic. But that’s going to take time. The responsibility to get better individually. That’s a big factor in that.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.