Stephen A. Smith blasts Ja Morant for infamous gun incident after Memphis Grizzlies' 0-6 start: "He wasn't thinking about his teammates"

The Memphis Grizzlies finally got their first win of the season Sunday after a 0-6 start without their star player Ja Morant on the lineup to start the season. It won't be a while until Morant returns to the court, and the others have to endure the first 25 games without the flashy guard. After Sunday's win, they are now 1-6.

Morant is currently serving his 25-game suspension after he was seen flaunting a firearm on social media last season. Stephen A. Smith wasn't impressed with how the 6-foot-3 guard acted, which resulted in him getting in trouble:

"We gotta look at the Memphis Grizzlies, a prime example of what not to let happen. The Memphis Grizzlies walked into Sunday night's game against the Portland Trail Blazers 0 and 6. This is a team that is considered a title contender when Ja Morant is on the court. With him off the court, these dudes are winless.

"He's off the court because he wasn't thinking about his teammates. ... I love Morant and the player that he is, the brother's a superstar talent. ... You're about to replace Kyrie Irving with the signature sneaker deal he had available to him along with other various endorsement deals."

Smith added:

"All of that went to waste, ... because you wanna do what you wanna do when you wanna do it."

This incident caused Morant to lose not just a chance to start the season but also money for his suspension. The Grizzlies are struggling to start the season the right way until he returns to the court. Morant could reportedly return to the lineup on Dec. 19 and have his season debut.

You might also be interested in reading this: Ja Morant stands strong with Grizzlies, posts picture wearing team gear as Memphis await for first win of the season

---

Nike revealed new Ja Morant sneakers

Ja Morant is Nike's newest star after it let go of Kyrie Irving due to the incident where he was accused of being antisemitic. Now, Nike is capitalizing on Morant's last season's success and is planning on releasing a new variation of his signature shoes.

The famous shoe company posted on its X account, hinting at a new colorway for the explosive point guard's signature sneakers. Nike announced that it will be releasing a "Chinese New Year" colorway for Morant soon. Sneaker News reported in its article that Nike is planning on the release in January 2024:

"In the midst of September, it was confirmed that Jordan Brand had already begun preparations for its annual Chinese New Year collection. Headlined by the Air Jordan 1 Low OG, the Year of the Dragon will also be joined by a turquoise-treated edition of the Nike Ja 1.

"The Nike Ja 1 'Chinese New Year' is expected to release next January. While we await to see if the premium tooling will receive a bump in price, the pair can be seen ahead in first-look imagery."

The official release date and price hasn't been reported, but it could be posted soon.