“In The History of Professional Sports..”: $80,000,000 Worth Ja Morant Suffers a $50,000,000 loss Owing to NBA’s 25-Game Suspension

The NBA world is still reacting to the league’s decision to suspend Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant for a total of 25 games. Starting from the start of next season, Morant will serve a 25-game ban that is expected to have financial repercussions as well. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the suspension has caused a loss of around $50,000,000 for Ja Morant. Apart from the loss of salary, Morant was also not able to qualify for the All-Star team due to the 8-game ban he already served.

Morant’s suspension has been met with a variety of reactions, with some claiming that the punishment is too severe. The fact that the 23-year-old will end up losing around $50 million has surely played a part in this take.

Brian Windhorst believes Ja Morant will end up losing around $50 million due to a 25-match suspension

There is little doubt that Morant will end up losing a lot financially due to the league’s decision. He will end up losing around $7.6 million in salary alone, which is in addition to the losses he has already had to endure.

Morant ended up losing possibly around $60 million due to not being able to make the All-Star team. Windhorst said that he would have made it, had it not been for the 8-game suspension:

I know you don’t think about money at this point, but this has been extraordinarily penal to Ja Morant from a financial standpoint. I would guesstimate at this point that he is at least looking at $50 million in losses. He’s going to have no pay for these 25 games, no pay for the eight games he already had this last year, and there’s no doubt in my mind he would have been All-NBA had he not had this incident last season. “He didn’t make the All-NBA team. That cost him $40 million in bonus money. It might even be closer to $60 million, including lost business from sponsorships.”

He added:

“I know that’s not the priority here, but just from the financial standpoint that’s as bad of a penalty as we’ve seen in the history of professional sports. Now, he can recover all of that, but all the consequences he is facing, including to his reputation, the financial ramifications are severe.”

Of course, with an annual salary alone expected to cross $33 million next season, Morant will not be worried about the financials. Instead, he will be looking to quickly return to his best fitness and silence his critics.

The NBPA believes Ja Morant’s suspension is arbitrary and unfair

While most of the community seems to think that the punishment is fair, the National Basketball Players Association expressed regret over the decision. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the NBPA believes that the suspension is arbitrary and unfair.

The statement criticized the decision, as well as the conditions stipulated for Morant’s return. It also said that due to Morant’s apology, a less harsh punishment would have been more acceptable.

Regardless, the sheer nature of the incident, as well as the fact that it was Morant’s 2^nd mistake seems to have played a part. As things stand, fans will have to wait until December to see Morant in action for the Memphis Grizzlies.