There is no timetable for Ja Morant’s return to the Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies are a legitimate contender in the Western Conference and are trying to ban the No. 2 for the second year in a row, but with 20 games left in the season, the Grizzlies talk turns to what’s going on outside of the group court with her all-star guard Ja Morant.

On Friday night after Memphis lost to the Nuggets in Denver, Morant took to Instagram Live from a club and showed off a gun in the video that quickly went viral. This comes after numerous alleged incidents involving Morant and those around him came to light, in which Morant allegedly slapped a 17-year-old multiple times in the face, threatened a security guard at a mall and pointed lasers at members of the Pacers after a game in Indiana. All of this painted a picture of Morant taking a worrying path, but the Instagram Live video was the trigger for the league to step in and investigate Morant, with the team announcing on Saturday he would be off the team at least for the time being would next two games in LA

On Sunday night, before playing the Clippers without Morant, head coach Taylor Jenkins told reporters there was no timetable for Morant’s return and that the young star was taking “the responsibility to get the help he needs” and the team was focusing then both support him, but also hold him accountable – and talk about the overarching issue of gun violence and the importance of taking the time to deal with it appropriately.

Previously, Jenkins had deflected questions about the alleged incidents involving Morant, lamenting them as past issues that had been dealt with. Now the Grizzlies must let the process they hoped to keep behind closed doors play out more openly, though Jenkins wouldn’t go so far as to detail the steps the team outlined for Morant’s return.

The hope is that Morant can use this moment to adjust the path he’s on and, as Jenkins notes, accept the responsibility of being a leader on the team and what of it both off and on the pitch is required. How long it will be before he shows he’s made those moves to the Grizzlies remains to be seen, but with the season’s long run, the timing certainly adds to the stress of the Memphis situation.