JJ Redick Had Some Sizzling Takes Regarding Ja Morant

There's a lot to unpack here in this 1:32 clip from this morning's First Take segment. JJ Redick starts out by making sure everyone knows he doesn't agree with Ja Morant's antics. There was some shit he was accused of leading up to the first strip club/gun incident. JJ is confirmed not a "harass mall security guards" or "threaten teenagers" guy. These are all fine points that most logical humans would tend to agree with. He then pivots in a different direction. 

Making the entire conversation about "but he didn't break any laws" is just a weird angle. He then takes the opportunity to tie in gun control, mass-shootings, and dorky politicians that are pro-gun puppets. JJ is a smart enough guy to know that he's off the mark. Maybe he's slowly animorphing into Stephen A. Smith and just wants to fire off reckless takes from time to time, but this was not it. All this fuss because Ja Morant is a dipshit that can't leave his gun in the glovebox. I get that he's frustrated, he's certainly not wrong, but JJ Redick is missing the point altogether here. 

"Why are we trying to lay down the hammer on a 23-year-old that didn't break a law? Explain that to me!"

Explanation: Uhhhhhhhhh Because Ja Morant won't follow the rules. That's why. He knows the rules but is unable or unwilling to follow them. That's why he should receive a suspension. Why can't he just be like every other guy in the league that owns a gun? How many other superstars do this shit? It's not like he's a nobody that people won't recognize in a millisecond once it inevitably leaks. Mind-numbingly dumb behavior from Ja, plain and simple.

JJ went off the tracks a bit but I don't have a great solution either. Thankfully I'm not the one who has to deal with this. I'm not so sure a lengthy suspension is the answer, but again, that's for Adam Silver to decide. The damning difference here is that Ja fucked up pretty bad 2 months ago and immediately did the same thing after he said he wouldn't. He's violated whatever trust he regained and he's in the hole again. He said he was rehabilitated and learned a lesson but he's still doing the same immature stuff. 

Should he be arrested? Obviously not, but that's not the relevant question to ask. It's "can this guy follow a very simple set of rules that have been placed before him, or can he not?" So far that's a resounding "no". On the surface level, he didn't break any laws, that's accurate. But the inability to follow simple workplace rules should have consequences, just as it would in any other facet of real life. I'm not sure what JJ is suggesting as an alternative but the swerve into politics was a wild swing. 

Anyway, it'll be interesting to see what direction Ja goes with this. Maybe at some point he'll prioritize his promising career and actually make the changes necessary to play by the rules. 

Redick is right with one part of this diatribe: gun culture is pervasive in this country. Which is exactly why I don't see a way around an example being made, especially after a relative slap on the wrist the first time around. Whatever the punishment, there's nobody to blame for it except for Ja. 

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