Ja Morant is yet to lace up for the Memphis Grizzlies as he continues to serve his 25-game suspension for conduct that was detrimental to the league. At the other end, Golden State Warriors superstar Draymond Green was slapped with a five-game suspension after putting Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert in a chokehold.
Green's suspension was expected, and the NBA world shared their two cents on the matter. However, there was quite the buzz when one of the fans compared Morant and the Warriors' star's suspensions:
"One isn’t a crime, one is battery"
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This stirred a string of responses.
![Draymond Green and Ja Morant's suspension comparison took Twitter by storm](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/11/432ae-17001949394047-1920.jpg?w=190 190w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/11/432ae-17001949394047-1920.jpg?w=720 720w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/11/432ae-17001949394047-1920.jpg?w=640 640w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/11/432ae-17001949394047-1920.jpg?w=1045 1045w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/11/432ae-17001949394047-1920.jpg?w=1200 1200w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/11/432ae-17001949394047-1920.jpg?w=1460 1460w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/11/432ae-17001949394047-1920.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/11/432ae-17001949394047-1920.jpg 1920w)
The reactions continued to pour in:
![The responses were mostly aimed at Green getting suspended more games](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/11/58fef-17001951153629-1920.jpg?w=190 190w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/11/58fef-17001951153629-1920.jpg?w=720 720w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/11/58fef-17001951153629-1920.jpg?w=640 640w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/11/58fef-17001951153629-1920.jpg?w=1045 1045w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/11/58fef-17001951153629-1920.jpg?w=1200 1200w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/11/58fef-17001951153629-1920.jpg?w=1460 1460w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/11/58fef-17001951153629-1920.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/11/58fef-17001951153629-1920.jpg 1920w)
While this debate rages on, it's clear that both the Grizzlies and the Warriors will miss their team's offensive and defensive weapons, respectively. Ja Morant's absence has hit Memphis hard as they stay at the bottom of the Western Conference standings with a dismal 2-9 record.
When is Ja Morant eligible to return?
Should there be no more drama, Ja Morant will be eligible to play his first game on December 23 against the Atlanta Hawks. This would mark the start of the road trip for the Grizzlies and his first home game would be on December 31 against the Sacramento Kings.
That said, the terms of Morant's suspension also include a clause that says he will have to "adhere to certain conditions before being reinstated." That might see him miss a game or two as well.
Morant's absence isn't the only one hurting the Grizzlies. Their big man Steven Adams is out for the remainder of the season, as is Brandon Clarke. Their backup guard Derrick Rose who was supposed to fill in for Morant, has been sidelined by a knee injury and has only played four games.
Memphis was one of the teams to watch out for last season and had the necessary firepower to make the playoffs. Even without their big man, they are likely to qualify for the postseason. However, they will need to have Morant back in their ranks quickly and manage to secure few wins before he takes the court.
Warriors Nation! You can check out the latest Golden State Warriors Schedule and dive into the Warriors Depth Chart for NBA Season 2024-25.