Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant is currently suspended from participating in team activities after appearing to flash a gun during an Instagram Live session, but Chandler Parsons wants a harsher punishment, calling for the 23-year-old to be suspended for the entire 2023-24 campaign.
suspend him all of next season. https://t.co/W0gKJHCJwS
— Chandler Parsons (@ChandlerParsons) May 14, 2023
It’s highly unlikely that the NBA or the Grizzlies will have the 23-year-old sit out a whole season. However, considering that he was suspended eight games earlier this season for a similar transgression, Morant might be looking at a longer penalty if investigations confirm what footage of the incident seemingly shows.
Even so, Parsons probably won’t see his wish come true and might have just earned the ire of many Grizzlies fans. The retired forward already isn’t in the good graces of some folks in Memphis given his ignominious tenure with the team.
In the 2016 offseason, the former second-round pick earned a huge payday when he signed a four-year, $94 million contract with the Grizzlies. He was expected to bolster the team’s rotation in a big way, but instead, he became known in Memphis for his inability to stay healthy and albatross contract.
The University of Florida product ended up playing three seasons for the Grizzlies, although he never suited up in more than 36 games in any of those campaigns. Over 95 appearances for Memphis, Parsons averaged just 7.2 points per match on a 39.3 percent shooting clip.
His struggles would have been easier to swallow if he hadn’t been earning so much. However, the organization was paying him more than $20 million per year to practically sit on the bench.
Memphis finally found a gem of a roster addition in 2019 when it drafted Morant with the No. 2 overall pick. The on-court product has been nothing short of spectacular, as the Murray State University product has proven to be one of the most electrifying players in the league, already earning two All-Star selections and being named to the 2022 All-NBA Second Team.
But the headache that has come along with having him on the roster is starting to look very burdensome for the franchise. Time will tell how the Grizzlies solve the Morant problem. If they can’t come up with a solution, the chances of the team becoming a mediocre squad again may increase.
