"That’s leading cats down a dead end" - Stephen A. Smith blasts Ja Morant's 'so-called' supporters

Some in Ja Morant’s camp claimed that all the brouhaha about the Memphis Grizzlies’ star was about a toy gun. Despite flexing a fake firearm, they asserted that the NBA would still suspend the electric point guard.

Although “G12” issued a public apology for his actions and promised, yet again, to be better the same so-called supporters could have a different view.

Stephen A. Smith, in his podcast, ripped those who have influenced Morant not to clean up his act.

(10:07 mark)

“Ja Morant’s supposed to be collecting millions. ‘To hell with the NBA!’ That’s leading cats down a dead end. That’s all you doing. You’re the sellouts! The ones that lead dudes down dead-end paths, knowing there’s no win.

“Ja Morant is getting paid $30 million next season. $10 million of it is gone because of the suspensions. ... They’ve calculated that this decision by the commissioner, brought on by Ja Morant, is gonna cost him approximately $60 million.

“Any of y’all giving him that money back? … Gonna give him his money back?”

When the league suspended Morant in March for eight games, he lost $668,659, which was 1/145th of his 2022-23 salary per game. He was on track to make All-NBA selection until his off-court issues likely cost him a spot. Without that coveted year-end award, he failed to get the $39 million bonus for his next contract.

"G-12's" five-year $194.3 million extension will kick in next season. That amount could have been roughly $230 without the suspension and with an All-NBA team selection.

The former Most Improved Player winner’s 25-game suspension will cost him another $7.6 million, which will be 1/110th of his 2023-24 salary per game. The 1/110th deduction is for suspensions for more than 20 games and Morant’s earning $33.5 million next season.

Computing the point guard’s potential off-court income is even harder to determine due to his two controversial incidents and succeeding suspensions.

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Only time will tell if Ja Morant will live up to his words

Ja Morant showed remorse in March after his first gun-flexing incident on Instagram Live. He brought himself to a counseling facility in Florida to get help. Morant told NBA Commissioner Adam Silver that he understood the situation and vowed to be better.

A few days before his reinstatement, he told former NBA player Jalen Rose that the gun he held inside a Denver strip club wasn’t his.

Two months later, and after all the trouble, Morant had another gun-toting IG Live spectacle. And like the first time, the public apology was on cue.

Stephen A. Smith spoke for probably the majority of basketball fans who have followed the latest news about the Memphis Grizzlies star:

“Nobody believes you, bro. I don’t say that flippantly. I’m a fan of Ja Morant. … Reason why you’re not believed is because you already lied. … You’re not believed, nobody’s believing a thing you’re saying right now. You really are in a show-and-prove point when it comes to your character."

Only time can tell if “G12” will live up to his words.

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