The past few days have not been kind to the Memphis Grizzlies organization. In addition to losing Brandon Clarke to a season-ending Achilles injury, Ja Morant will also be away from the team for an unspecified period of time after a slew of off-court troubles, with the breaking point in that regard being the gun incident on the star point guard's Instagram live. As a result, plenty, including notorious pundit Stephen A. Smith, have grown concerned over what this could mean for the future of Morant's career.

In particular, Smith pleaded that Morant look at the example of Hall of Famer Allen Iverson, who too went through a plethora of difficulties away from the hardwood. As one may recall, Iverson spent four months in prison back in 1993 before his conviction was overturned and then he was charged with marijuana possession in 1997 after he had already made a name for himself in the NBA.

“It's about the company that you keep as well, because the reality of the situation is that you listen. I would advise Ja Morant, why don't you call my man Allen Iverson?” Smith said. “Why don't you ask him about what all of that is like and the trials and tribulations he had to endure and struggle through and overcome before he got to this place of an elevated level of peace where he's going in the right direction? Why don't you ask him about that?”

Ja Morant also found himself involved in other issues prior to his latest, gun-related controversy. Back in February, The Athletic published a report stating that the Grizzlies star and his group intimidated a few members of the Pacers organization.

And then in early March, the Washington Post reported that Morant got into an altercation with a teenager, with the Grizzlies guard intimidating the kid with his gun, and that, in another separate incident, Morant and his friends threatened a security guard at a mall.

At the end of the day, Stephen A. Smith hopes that Morant gets the help and guidance he needs, especially from his father Tee Morant.

“I'm simply trying to highlight and illuminate to Tee Morant the importance of him being a dad,” Smith added. “Make sure that you don't let anybody get in the way of what he is on the verge of accomplishing.”