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After being pictured with a gun during a recent Instagram live video, Ja Morant is once again at the forefront of NBA discussions.
On May 15, the Memphis Grizzlies released a statement that Morant had been suspended from team activities pending a league review.
While some former NBA players have criticized the Grizzlies guard's actions, others have offered their support in an attempt to help one of the league's most prominent players.
Dwight Howard is the latest veteran to extend a helping hand to Ja Morant. Howard suggested that the athletic guard head for Taiwan in a bid to remove himself from the negative influences around him.
"Aye Ja you gone get it right! I’m still with you if anyone else ain’t you could come out here to Taiwan if anything just leave it home," Dwight Howard tweeted.
Howard has spent this past season playing in Taiwan and is clearly enjoying his time there. However, given the superstar status of Ja Morant, he may not believe a trip abroad is what's best for him at the moment.
This is the second time Morant has been reprimanded for brandishing a gun on Instagram Live. The first instance landed him an eight-game unpaid suspension. Given that this is Morant's second offense of the same nature, it's likely that the league will impose a harsher punishment in the coming weeks.
"Wondering what the hell is wrong with him" - Stephen A. Smith reacts to Ja Morant controversy
During a May 15 episode of ESPN's First Take, Stephen A. Smith shared his thoughts on Ja Morant's current controversy.
"Incredibly disappointed," Smith said. "Disgusted. Wondering what the hell is wrong with him. This is a man that is universally recognized in NBA circles as being a highly, highly intelligent individual. This is stupidity. You know he's not stupid, so what would be the reason? Does he have other problems that we don't know about? It now warrants an investigation.
"You got suspended for eight games. You cost yourself over $600,000. You've jeopardized your deal with Nike since you got the Nike signature shoe. You've jeopardized your deal with Poweraid. No doubt, a suspension is imminent from the league; you can bet your house on that; there's no way around it. What possible explanation can you give?"
Ja Morant's situation is sure to continue being a talking point among fans and NBA media throughout the summer. So, while Morant is unlikely to take Dwight Howard up on his offer of playing in Taiwan, it's clear the athletic guard needs to take some time away from the game and work on his off-court issues.
