Ja Morant Inching Closer To NBA Return, Adam Silver Plans On Meeting

Ja Morant is very close to returning to the court for the Memphis Grizzlies. And boy, do they need him.

The two-time All-Star is finishing up his 25-game suspension and is officially eligible to return on Dec. 19. NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Morant has done everything the league asked of him during the disciplinary process.

Speaking with reporters in Las Vegas Saturday, Silver said he'll meet with Morant ahead of his reinstatement.

"I have been monitoring the situation closely, and him. In fact, we intend to have a check-in this week directly, Ja and I. But folks in the league office, together with Ja and his team and the Players Association, have been in regular contact, essentially weekly. There have been those checkpoints," Silver said.

"We've, 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. As I said, we'll talk at least once this week before he comes back, and we will review the program and make sure the conditions are in place for him to be successful going forward."

Has Ja Morant Learned His Lesson?

Morant was suspended for 25 games for conduct detrimental to the league back in June after a video circulated of him brandishing a firearm on social media. That's after he'd already been suspended eight games in March for flashing a handgun on Instagram Live.

During Morant's absence, the Grizzlies' season has gotten off to a disastrous 6-15 start. Memphis currently sits in 13th place in the Western Conference and has the second-worst offensive rating in the league — ahead of only the Portland Trail Blazers.

Safe to say the Grizz need their leading scorer to stay out of trouble this time around.

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