Memphis Grizzlies' Ja Morant: What to know about his suspension, his return to the court, more

Standout player and next face of Nike shoes Ja Morant has been noticeably absent from the Memphis Grizzlies' roster after an incident showed him reportedly brandishing a gun in an Instagram post.

Morant has been away from the Grizzlies since March 4, when he started recording an Instagram Live video at 4:19 a.m. CT that purportedly showed the two-time All-Star brandishing a handgun. The Grizzlies announced later that day that Morant would step away from the team, and Morant later released his own statement.

Morant is eligible to return to the team Monday ahead of the Grizzlies' game against the Dallas Mavericks. Here's the latest on what is happening with Morant and just why he was suspended.

Is Ja Morant playing in Monday's game?

The eight-game suspension handed down by the NBA would have had Morant eligible to return to the team on Monday evening when the Grizzlies host the Dallas Mavericks. But Morant is out of Monday's game due to return to competition reconditioning.

When will Ja Morant return to play?

Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins indicated before Saturday's win that Morant would be out on Monday but could return on Wednesday.

"I know he's putting in work, staying ready, and he's going to be chomping at the bit to get out there with his teammates on Monday and Tuesday, and we'll see what Wednesday holds," Jenkins said on Saturday.

Why was Ja Morant suspended?

Morant's conduct came under scrutiny due to an Instagram Live video of him brandishing a gun inside a nightclub was uploaded to his personal account. Morant was not charged by Glendale, Colorado police in this incident.

The last posting on Morant's Instagram account was March 1 in a paid partnership with Powerade.

Since the video was posted, Morant seems to have taken a break from social media and entered a counseling program in Florida.

"I take full responsibility for my actions last night," Morant said in the 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.”

Jalen Rose ESPN interview

In his first public comments, Morant did a sit-down interview with ESPN's Jalen Rose.

"I made a bad mistake," Morant said to Rose. "I can see the image that I painted over myself with my recent mistakes, but in the future, I'm going to show everybody who Ja really is, what I'm about and change this narrative."

Ja Morant's Nike sneaker deal: Is it still on?

Morant's Nike sneaker is still expected to release in April. The athletic brand showed support for Morant as the incident was investigated by the NBA at the beginning of March and released a statement in support of the player.

"We appreciate Ja's accountability and that he is taking the time to get the help he needs. We support his prioritization of his well-being," Nike's statement read.

He also has endorsement deals with major brands like Powerade and Beats by Dre.

Damichael Cole contributed to this report.

Joyce Orlando is an Audience Specialist with the South Region Audience Team. She can be reached at jorlando@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Grizzlies' Ja Morant: What to know of NBA suspension, Nike deal, more