The Memphis Grizzlies have been advised to pretend they “didn’t see” a video showing point guard Ja Morant holding a gun in a nightclub.
Local police are investigating footage shared via Instagram to see if NBA All-Star Morant broke any gun laws.
The incident took place at a venue in Glendale, Colorado on Saturday after Memphis had been beaten by the Denver Nuggets.
Morant has been suspended by the Grizzlies for “at least two” games, with the 23-year-old taking “full responsibility” and apologising for the incident.
However, former NBA player Gilbert Arenas believes the team should have simply ignored Morant’s video, suggesting the error was a “stupid” and “dumb” thing to do but stressing that the player’s age should count in his favour.
“When we’re young, we do stupid s***,” Arenas, who spent a season in Memphis in 2012, said on his podcast.
“We’re trying to pretend that 23 is real old? 23 with a lot of money, there’s going to be some dumb s*** you do. Some of us get caught, some of us don’t.
“If I’m the owner, I’m going to do what every owner does: pretend I don’t see it. Just grow up a little bit faster. You got too much time on your hands.
“You got to put Ja around somebody who’s been the same way and actually got out of it safely.”
The Grizzlies are owned by billionaire Robert Pera.
The team has enjoyed a period of improved on-court fortune since drafting Morant with the second pick of the 2019 NBA draft.
Powered by the former Rookie of the Year, Memphis returned to the play-offs in 2021 and reached the Western Conference semi-finals last season.
Morant is averaging 27.1 points and 8.2 assists per game this campaign and earned a second nod to the NBA All-Star Game last month.
They play the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.
