Adam Silver knows suspending Ja Morant can’t save him

All those who don't hear feel!

My grandmother would say those prophetic words when trying to save me from myself. While her words didn't always stop me from doing something I wasn't supposed to, her message was received.

Now that I'm 30, I understand the importance of what she was trying to convey to me, and it got me wondering who Ja Morant has like that in his corner, if anybody at all.

On Friday, the NBA announced a 25-game suspension for Morant after the 23-year-old superstar point guard displayed a gun — for a second time — on Instagram Live in May.

"Ja Morant's decision to once again wield a firearm on social media is alarming and disconcerting given his similar conduct in March for which he was already suspended eight games," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement.

"The potential for other young people to emulate Ja's conduct is particularly concerning. Under these circumstances, we believe a suspension of 25 games is appropriate and makes clear that engaging in reckless and irresponsible behavior with guns will not be tolerated.

"For Ja, basketball needs to take a back seat at this time. Prior to his return to play, he will be required to formulate and fulfill a program with the league that directly addresses the circumstances that led him to repeat this destructive behavior."

Morant's suspension comes as no surprise. Silver said the NBA would discipline the Memphis Grizzlies star after the NBA Finals. So now that we know Morant will miss a little more than a quarter of the regular season, the question is, did the NBA handle the situation correctly?

The short-term answer is yes. A 25-game suspension for Morant, who didn't commit a crime or cause harm to someone else, seems reasonable even though he’s a repeat offender. But big picture, the answer is no.

In March, Morant showed a gun on an Instagram Live video at a Denver nightclub. Silver met with Morant in New York and suspended him for eight games. Less than two months later, Morant did it again. His friend was recording on Instagram Live, and Morant, on brand, was seen showing a gun inside a car.

I'll admit, I was surprised at Morant's audacity, but I shouldn't have been. Morant's behavior reflects the cultural decay our society is experiencing. Young people don't want to listen to anybody or anything.

I would know because I've been there before.

This generation knows so much but so little. It's oxymoronic. Morant is an expert in basketball but a novice at life. His mistakes tell me the right people do not surround him, and he refuses to listen to those trying to help him.

Either way, it's a recipe for disaster.

Experience is the most valuable teacher in life. Sometimes you have to learn things the hard way. However, Morant is old enough to know the error of his ways.

Once is a mistake, twice is a choice, and three times is a habit.

After his first gun incident, Morant entered a "counseling program" in Florida "to get help and work on learning better methods of dealing with stress and my overall well-being."

Two days later, Morant left the facility. It was a joke. The league knows it. The Grizzlies know it. Morant knows it. I don't know what Morant underwent in those 48 hours, but it wasn't enough to deter him from waving a gun on Instagram Live again.

Call me cynical, but I'm not buying Morant's excuse that his behavior is a byproduct of personal struggles in life. We're all going through something. Every person you come across is fighting a battle you know nothing about.

Because Morant is a public figure, some of his battles play out in front of our eyes. But both gun incidents are self-inflicted battles. Morant's actions reflect the mentality that many young people have adopted.

The themes and messages promoted and glorified in secular music, most notably Hip-Hop/Rap, indoctrinate young people to make bad decisions and “stand ten toes down” in their poor choices.

The brazen disrespect for authority, parents, teachers, police officers, and elders is pervasive. The belief that you can do whatever and say whatever without being held accountable for your actions is corrupting our youth and our children and threatening our future.

Do what thou wilt seems to be the new street code.

Silver knows that suspending Morant for the entire season won't get him to change his behavior. No suspension or "counseling program" can get Morant to change. He has to want to do that for himself.

And based on what we’ve seen and not heard from Morant, he doesn’t appear to be at that stage yet.