Ja Morant, Adam Silver to meet as Grizzlies star nears possible NBA return after suspension

LAS VEGAS — NBA commissioner Adam Silver stated he’s scheduled to meet with suspended Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant this week, as the date for Morant’s possible return inches nearer.

“I have been monitoring this situation closely,” Silver stated of Morant, whom he suspended for at least 25 games for a number of situations of Morant brandishing a gun in public during the last yr.

“We together laid out a program for him over the last several weeks, and to the best of my knowledge, he’s complied with everything he’s been asked to do,” Silver stated Saturday.

Morant, a two-time All-Star, could be eligible to play his first sport for the Grizzlies on Dec. 19 in New Orleans in opposition to the Pelicans. The Grizzlies, who completed second within the West final common season, have been hammered by Morant’s absence, key accidents and roster adjustments that to this level haven’t labored out. They are at the moment 6-15 and in thirteenth place within the West.

Silver suspended Morant for eight video games final season for wielding a firearm in a Denver-area nightclub. Last summer time, video clips circulated on social media confirmed Morant using within the passenger seat of a car with associates, dancing to a rap track and holding a gun whereas he was dancing.

Silver stated, “We’re going to talk directly once, at least this week, before he comes back, (and) I think we’ll review the program and just make sure the conditions are in place for him to be successful going forward.”

Silver, who spoke to reporters forward of the In-Season Tournament finale in Las Vegas Saturday, defended two controversial elements of the tournament he created, and likewise touched on non-IST matters.

Silver clarified a suggestion considered one of his chief deputies had made earlier this season about load administration, saying, “there is no data that it does work.” Last month, Joe Dumars, an government vice chairman for the NBA, stated the league had information which confirmed that load administration — the excitement phrase for holding gamers out of video games who usually are not injured — doesn’t stop harm.

Dumars made that assertion as a part of the league’s push to promote its strengthened participant participation coverage — drafted throughout the offseason as a result of too many star gamers had been lacking too many nationally televised video games.

“I think what Joe is saying is that we have no data that (load management) prevents injuries,” Silver stated. “I don’t think there’s any question that a player that’s playing three games in four nights, for example, when a player is tired, that it impacts performance.

“The question is, I think the ultimate notion behind load management isn’t so much that there isn’t a fall for performance when you’re tired and fatigued. The question is does it lead to more injuries and and especially the way load management is now used?

Silver said he was “surprised” when the NBA gamers’ union introduced final month that government director Tamika Tremaglio was leaving the position, and former Golden State Warriors star Andre Iguodala was taking her place.

“I had no prior knowledge that there was any issue there,” Silver stated. “I mean, she and I had a very professional relationship in the role. But ultimately, I recognized that changes we could make at the league office, the players association could be saying, ‘I had no idea any changes were coming in terms of executive positions here.’ It’s my job to work with whoever is presented to me.”

Last month, the union introduced that Tremaglio’s departure was a shared resolution and amicable, however union sources stated there was no indication from Tremaglio that something prefer it was coming. She was in the course of making January journey plans as government director at some point earlier than the shock announcement.

Tremaglio and Silver negotiated the present collective bargaining settlement that was accomplished in July.

“As far as I can tell from the outside, it’s been a very smooth transition there to Andre Iguodala as I guess the interim executive director,” Silver stated. “Nothing has changed in terms of our day-to-day relations with them, and I have no other knowledge about why either the players association or Tamika decided to, you know, change the relationship.

“We have not missed a beat in terms of our relationship (between the league and union),” Silver stated.

(Photo: Kirby Lee / USA Today)