After the NBA fined JA Morant last week a $75,000 fine for congratulating a finger gun gesture, the Memphis Grizzlies star has found a new way to commemorate the three-pointer.
In a 141-125 defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night, Morant pulled a pin and threw a hand-ren bullet, covering his ears following a 3.
“That's my celebration right now. I'll find another until someone else has a problem,” Morant said after Thursday's shootaround.
The NBA fined Morant on April 4th, $75,000. The day after the age of 25, he shot a gun with his finger after being made once in the first quarter, once in the third quarter, and third after the Grizzlies defeated the Miami Heat. Prior to that matchup, the NBA notified Morant that he would not be punished for a gun-related gesture on April 1 while playing the Golden State Warriors.
Morant finished with a team high 36 points and shot five of the 13 from behind the arc against Minnesota.
Ja Morant dumped gun celebration for grenade celebration pic.twitter.com/tgkwidb5k
– Deadspin (@deadspin) April 11, 2025
Against Golden State, Morant and Buddy Heald engaged in an oral argument that included gun-related hand gestures. Both players and teams were warned by the NBA, and the league told each team that the gestures were inappropriate and instructed them to stop using them, a league source said. Athletic. The debate from the team's side was that the gesture was not intended to be violent, according to league sources.
Despite the warning, Morant continued his gestures to his next game with Miami and received a fine a day later.
The two-time All-Star Morant has been suspended twice in recent season due to gun-related incidents.
In March 2023, the NBA issued an eight-game suspension after seeing him swing a gun at a gentleman's club in Glendale, Colorado. He also missed the first 25 games of the 2023-24 season after seeing him in a car and carrying a handgun on Instagram Live.
The NBA does not have rules for specific gestures, but the league fined players for making gun-related moves before. In 2017, then-Phoenix Suns forward Josh Jackson was fined $35,000 for gestures at the fans to appear to be pulling the trigger. In 2015, then-Miami Heat Guard Gerald Green received a $25,000 penalty to make a similar gesture.
The NBA will limit the fines for on-court conduct to $100,000.
(Photo: David Jensen/Getty Images)
