Is Ja Morant still suspended? Date of Grizzlies star's return for 2023-24 NBA season explored

Ja Morant is still suspended. He has served 11 of his 25 game suspension so far. He will be eligible to return on Dec. 19 at the earliest when the Grizzlies play the New Orleans Pelicans.

It could be a headline matchup against Zion Williamson. The two stars have faced off six times in their NBA careers. New Orleans took the first three games and Memphis took the next three.

Memphis has greatly missed Morant's playmaking and scoring abilities. They currently sit last in the Western Conference and are also missing Brandon Clarke. Starting center Steven Adams is also out for the season, and Santi Aldama has also missed time due to an ankle sprain.

The Grizzlies are struggling, especially on offense, being 27th in the league in scoring and averaging just 108.5 points per game.

The defense is also lackluster, sitting 22nd in the league in points allowed.

Why was Ja Morant suspended?

Ja Morant is serving a 25-game suspension for his gun incidents last season. He also missed extended time last season in March, serving an eight-game suspension after his first incident.

His time away from the team came after Morant posted an Instagram Live video of him flashing a gun while in a Denver-area strip club. The video drew a myriad of criticism.

Morant then went to Florida and entered a short counseling program. He said he took the time away from the team to focus on his mental health.

Morant returned to the team, only to find himself in controversy once again. In May, Morant was seen flashing a gun while riding in a car with his friend. The video was once again streamed on Instagram Live, this time on his friend’s account.

The second incident resulted in an indefinite suspension for Morant. The public outrage was even greater. That was when the NBA levied the 25-game suspension in June.

Ja Morant suffered further when he lost endorsement deals. His mega deal with Nike was suspended. However, the two sides reconciled and Morant’s signature was released as planned. He also lost his deal with Coca Cola as a new spokesperson for the Powerade rebrand campaign.