Memphis Grizzlies Announce That Ja Morant Will Miss at Least the Next Two Games
Let's hope that Ja Morant does not end up like Gilbert Arenas or--even worse--Tupac Shakur. Athletes and entertainers who wave around guns or otherwise portray themselves as being "about that life" have a long, sad history, a history that those who are close to Morant and care about him should make sure that Morant familiarizes himself with during his upcoming time off of work.
Today, the Memphis Grizzlies issued a brief statement: "Ja Morant will be away from the team for at least the next two games." The Grizzlies did not call this action a suspension, did not indicate if Morant will be paid during his absence, and did not explain why Morant will miss at least two games. Of course, anyone who follows the news even casually knows exactly what happened. Last night, Morant posted a video of himself on Instagram holding a gun, apparently in a nightclub. Recently, Morant was sued as a result of an incident during which he allegedly beat up a 17 year old and brandished a gun during that attack; Morant denied that accusation, and the authorities declined to press charges. Earlier this season, associates of Morant's were banned by the Indiana Pacers after the Pacers' traveling party alleged that a red laser dot--like one used to aim a gun--had been pointed at them. The NBA investigated that incident but found no evidence that a gun had been pointed. Last summer, Morant and associates allegedly had a confrontation with a head of mall security; no charges were filed as a result of that incident.
I am a firm believer in the bedrock legal principle of innocent until proven guilty. Morant has not been charged with a crime, let alone convicted of one.
That being said, a person who keeps putting himself in the wrong place at the wrong time runs the risk of having wrong outcomes. During tonight's ESPN "NBA Countdown," Jalen Rose--who candidly admitted that he used to be Ja Morant, a young basketball star figuring out how to adjust to fame and fortune while resisting the lure of the streets and the temptation to act like a tough guy--said that he has learned that people enter your life for one of four reasons: addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division. Rose declared that Morant is a leader now whether he wants to be or not, and that he is responsible for who he associates with and for his actions. Rose is encouraged by the statement that Morant issued, and Rose is optimistic that Morant will grow as a person as a result of this situation.
Here is Morant's statement: "I'm sorry to my
family, teammates, coaches, fans, partners, the city of Memphis and the
entire Grizzlies organization for letting you down. I'm going to take
some time away to get help and work on learning better methods of
dealing with stress and my overall well-being."
That statement is the right message, but talk is cheap. Morant's subsequent actions will demonstrate the sincerity of his statement.
Part of Morant's self-cultivated image while emerging as an NBA star is that he "wants all the smoke," meaning that he does not back down from anyone or anything. There is nothing wrong with swagger. Some of my favorite athletes of all-time--from Muhammad Ali to Reggie Jackson to Deion Sanders--bragged about how great they were. There are two key things to remember about Ali, Jackson, and Sanders: (1) They backed up their braggadocio with championship-winning performances, and (2) they understood the difference between competitive swagger and reckless personal behavior. Morant has fallen short in both regards, and the latter failing could have fatal consequences for himself and others.
I am not accusing Morant of anything--other than foolishly posting the gun video on Instagram, which Morant has not denied doing--but I hope that Rose is right that Morant will make better decisions moving forward.
It will be interesting to see how the NBA handles this. Commissioner Adam Silver often appears to fancy himself as a friend to the players, in contrast to his predecessor David Stern, who understood that his job was not to befriend the players but to act in the league's best interests (which is also benefits the players). I recall an interview in which Carmelo Anthony described a one on one meeting that he had with Commissioner Stern, who told Anthony that he knows where Anthony goes, what Anthony does, and with whom Anthony associates. Stern told Anthony point blank that he can embrace street life or he can participate in the NBA's multi-billion dollar business, but he cannot do both. That is the kind of tough love that saves lives. I hope that Commissioner Silver delivers a similar message to Morant. It would be great if Morant's father--who seems to love the limelight--delivers that message to Morant as well.
Labels: Gilbert Arenas, Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies, Tupac Shakur
posted by David Friedman @ 10:14 PM
The NBA Community Mourns the Loss of David Benner, the Pacers' P.R. Director for Three Decades
David Benner, who served for 28 years as the Indiana Pacers' Director of Media Relations before retiring prior to last season, passed away on Wednesday. He was 67. After his family announced his death, there has been an outpouring of sympathy from the NBA community. Pacers President Kevin Pritchard said, "It is difficult to put into words just what David Benner meant to the
Indiana Pacers, the NBA, his family, and friends. He had an infectious personality and a wonderful
sense of humor that was evident to anyone who was ever fortunate enough
to meet him."
I first met Benner in 2004 when I was a freelance writer just beginning to cover NBA games in person. He had a serious demeanor with those who he did not know well, but he was also courteous, helpful, and professional. It did not take long for me to understand why the Pacers' media relations staff under his direction was considered perhaps the best in the entire league; I always felt welcomed at Pacers games, and I would be surprised if any media member covering those games felt otherwise.
The first NBA game that I covered as a credentialed media member was Indiana's 101-77 home win versus Chicago on March 22, 2004. Scottie Pippen did not play due to injury, but I interviewed him after the game. I covered the first two games of the 2004 Eastern Conference Finals at Indiana. Game two is best remembered for Tayshaun Prince's chase down block versus Reggie Miller, a key play in Detroit's 72-67 win that prevented the Pistons from falling behind 0-2. The Pistons won that series in six games before beating the Lakers in five games to capture the NBA title.
Over the next several years, I covered many Pacers games as a credentialed media member. I don't recall having any in depth conversations with Benner, but I remember that when I needed something or had a question he or one of his staff members was always willing and able to help. During that period, I interviewed many Pacer legends, including Bobby "Slick" Leonard, Mel Daniels, George McGinnis, and Darnell Hillman. I also interviewed prominent visiting players, including Kobe Bryant (on multiple occasions) and Steve Nash.
Gregg Doyel of the Indy Star knew Benner much better than I did, and Doyel's tribute to Benner is a must read. Here is an excerpt:
David Benner wouldn't say he was dying. Not his
style. And this was a man of style--and substance. He worked for the
IndyStar from 1979-1994, worked his way up from copy boy to the biggest
beats in sports before shifting gears and working for the Pacers in
media relations. An unusual career switch, something only the strongest
of souls could do, but that was Benner. One of the strongest souls
around.
Benner left us Wednesday morning at age
67, dying of the cancer that had been coming for him for a decade,
nibbling around the edges, trying to get close but running into the same
wall most of us ran into, eventually: Benner would decide how close
you'd get. You, me, cancer...none of us chose. Benner chose.
The retirements and deaths of so many people who I met while covering the NBA are a grim reminder of the relentless passing of time. Rest in peace, David Benner.
Labels: Bobby "Slick" Leonard, David Benner, George McGinnis, Indiana Pacers, Kobe Bryant, Mel Daniels
posted by David Friedman @ 12:54 AM
A Way Too Early Assessment of the New Look Clippers
A few days ago, I provided A Way Too Early Assessment of the New Look Lakers. In that same spirit, I present two paragraphs about the new look L.A. Clippers, who have played three games since acquiring Russell Westbrook after the 2017 regular season MVP was traded by the Lakers to the Jazz and then negotiated a buyout so that he could sign with the team of his choice. Every stated fact/statistic in both paragraphs
is accurate, but one paragraph uses facts/statistics out of context
while the other paragraph places facts/statistics in context. You can
think about this as the difference between writing for the "Galaxy's
Leader in Sports" versus writing for an independent website that is not
beholden to a particular agenda or particular interests.
Paragraph #1:
"Since acquiring Russell Westbrook, the L.A. Clippers--who had won their previous two games--have gone 0-3 while giving up an average of 139.0 ppg, which would be the worst points allowed defense in NBA history if the Clippers maintained that pace for a full 82 game season. Westbrook scored 17 points or less in each of those losses while amassing a total of 13 turnovers. The Clippers are now clinging to the Western Conference's sixth seed, just a half game ahead of the Dallas Mavericks."
Paragraph #2:
"Since acquiring Russell Westbrook, the L.A. Clippers lost a 176-175 double overtime shootout versus the Sacramento Kings, the third seeded team in the Western Conference that had previously split a pair of games versus the Clippers this season. After that close decision in the second highest scoring game in NBA history, the Clippers had just one day off before traveling to Denver to face the Western Conference leading Nuggets, who had already beaten the Clippers three straight times this season. The Nuggets prevailed again, 134-124, but this time the Clippers pushed them to overtime after losing by at least 10 points in regulation in each of their three previous contests versus the Nuggets. The Clippers then had one day off before returning home and dropping a 108-101 decision versus the Minnesota Timberwolves. In his first three games as a Clipper, Westbrook averaged 16.0 ppg, 9.3 apg, and 5.7 rpg with shooting splits of .529/.444/1.000."
Read
both paragraphs again to consider how it is possible to state facts yet
not tell the truth (a tactic frequently used by propagandists in a
variety of fields, not just sports media).
The stretch run will be interesting. It seems like the Clippers are going to stop load managing Leonard, and attempt to solidify their playoff rotation in the final regular season games. The Clippers' offense with Westbrook at the helm has been very good because Westbrook pushes the pace while relieving Leonard and George of primary playmaking responsibilities. The challenge for the Clippers is to tighten up their defensive communication and rotations. The Clippers were very competitive against two of the top three teams in the West, but there is no doubt that a home loss to the Timberwolves is disappointing.
Labels: Kawhi Leonard, L.A. Clippers, Paul George, Russell Westbrook
posted by David Friedman @ 11:33 PM
