NBA Commissioner Adam Silver this week provided more details on when the investigation into Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant will be completed.
The investigation began last month after a livestreamed video on social media appeared to show Morant briefly pointing a handgun from the passenger seat of a vehicle while singing along to a song.
Based on the footage, the Grizzlies suspended him from team activities during the offseason.
During a news conference Thursday, the NBA commissioner said the league plans to announce the outcome of the investigation following this year’s NBA Finals, which feature the Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets.
“I now have a feeling that shortly after the conclusion of the Finals, we will announce the outcome of this investigation,” Silver told reporters.
“In terms of timing, we uncovered a lot of additional information,” Silver said of the investigation. accordingly a video clip via ESPN. He later added, “We probably could have taken it to the extreme now.”
“But we made the decision and I believe in it [National Basketball] The Players Association agrees that it would be unfair to these players and teams to announce the results of this investigation in the middle of the series.”
Silver said the league weighed the fact that the Grizzlies suspended Morant indefinitely during the offseason, arguing that waiting for the outcome of the probe to be announced would not have a major impact on the star point guard.
Morant’s livestream appearance last month marked the second time this year that he has faced repercussions for displaying his gun on social media.
The NBA had previously suspended Morant for eight games a few months earlier after he live-streamed himself gun-in-hand at a nightclub in Glendale, Colorado, on March 4. Glendale Police also conducted an investigation into the incident. He was not charged with any crime.
The Grizzlies player issued a public apology after the March 4 incident and accepted full responsibility for his actions. In a statement at the time, Silver called Morant’s behavior “irresponsible, inconsiderate and potentially very dangerous.”
Morant issued another public apology shortly after the latest incident in May, saying he knew he “disappointed a lot of people,” The Associated Press reported.
“This is a journey and I am aware that there is still a lot to do,” he said. “My words may not mean much right now, but I take full responsibility for my actions. I am determined to keep working on myself.”
