After $39,000,000 Hit to His Paycheck, Ja Morant Gets a Stern Lesson From Shaquille O?Neal: ?Wouldn?t Get Those Opportunities Back?

At one point, Ja Morant was at his peak in his basketball exploits. He shaped himself to be one of the elite guards leading the way for the Memphis Grizzlies. His freakish athleticism and artistry on the court turned spectators into fans. However, in early March, his own off-court antics would land him in trouble. After flashing a firearm in a Denver nightclub, the NBA gave him an eight-game suspension, a punishment that would cost him around $39 million. Not just that, but months after, he is back in the same place. NBA icon Shaquille O’Neal gave him some serious advice about the fragility of life.

O’Neal spoke about the various deals and brands Morant has an opportunity to work with, and how just one mistake can lead everything to the ground.

Shaquille O’Neal gives Ja Morant a reality check

As an NBA talent, Ja Morant made his mark this season. He enjoyed a career year averaging 26.2 points and 8.1 assists, both top 10 marks in the league. He was well on his way to receiving NBA distinctions until his Denver incident ended the run. You might be thinking how could missing those eight games affect him? Well, it got his tally to just 61 games for the season resulting in him not making any of the All-NBA teams.

If he made any of them, Ja Morant would have made an additional $39 million in salary for meeting the All-NBA criteria.

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Unfortunately for Morant, that didn’t come to fruition. The two-time All-Star stepped right into a burning pit once again repeating a similar mistake from March. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Morant could meet a much heavier penalty this time, but that’s not all. Several brands have tie-ups with the Grizzlies star. And according to Shaquille O’Neal, the recent chapter might see him lose the priced deals.

“He’s going to get suspended. This may jeopardize the Nike deals and may jeopardize the power pay deal. Might not get those opportunities back,” Shaquille O’Neal said about the effect of Morant’s actions.

Morant had only just released his first signature shoe with Nike after taking Kyrie Irving’s place. Considering how rigid they are with their brand reputation, the 23-year-old could lose out on his ‘dream’ deal. More than that, his basketball career could go on hold too. While the NBA investigates the matter, a long suspension is believed to be coming his way.

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