There was some midweek tension in Tennessee for the Memphis Grizzlies fans after their star player Ja Morant left everyone confused with cryptic Instagram posts. Although there wasn’t much to read from it, the tonality of it did not sound right and it made the fans believe something was really wrong with the player. As it turns out, even the Tennessee police wanted to check up on the player following his cryptic messages. 

The Grizzlies suspended Morant earlier this month after he flashed a gun in an Instagram Live video two months after he was involved in a similar incident. In March, the league suspended Morant for eight games after he was filmed flashing a gun in a Colorado stripclub. After his most recent suspension, Morant said that “my words may not mean much right now, but I take full accountability for my actions. I’m committed to continuing to work on myself.”

Morant’s conduct had been concerning even before his most recent suspension. After a game in January, members of the Indiana Pacers reported that what could have been a laser sight from a gun was pointed at them after a game. People close to Morant had clashed with Pacers players during the game. Enhance your basketball viewing experience with attractive betting odds from Nextbet. 

In the posts on Wednesday, Morant paid tribute to his parents and daughter before writing “bye”. A spokesperson for the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office told TMZ that the department had checked on Morant at his home and the 23-year-old is “doing fine.” The spokesperson added that Morant told them “that he is taking a break from social media.”

Ahead of their matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said that there is “not a definitive timeline” for Morant’s comeback, reiterating that his All-Star point guard will be out for a minimum of two games as the investigation continues from NBA. 

“The focus right now is that Ja’s taken on the responsibility to really get the help he needs to get into a better place, generally speaking, but also on the flip side, to be in a better place to embrace the responsibilities and expectations as a member of this team,” Jenkins said. “That’s what we’re dialoguing about. That’s what we’re going to support him through. We’re also going to hold him accountable, too.”

One of the positives for Morant in this entire saga is that he did not try to challenge the allegations made on him and instantly apologised on social media. He also stated that he takes full responsibility for his actions and stated that he needs some time away from the sport to take care of himself and overall well being. Get all the latest updates from the NBA only on Nextbet Sports.