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Ja Morant risked further disciplinary action from the NBA after repeating a gun-mimicking celebration during Thursday's 110-108 victory over the Miami Heat, just hours after receiving a league warning for a similar gesture.

Morant made the gesture with his hands, right arm fully extended and left hand in a gun pose, after hitting a 25-foot three-pointer with 7:51 remaining in the first quarter. The celebration came despite sources telling ESPN's Shams Charania earlier Thursday that both Morant and Golden State Warriors guard Buddy Hield had been warned by the NBA for similar gestures during Tuesday's Grizzlies-Warriors game.

According to sources, the NBA had ruled that while the earlier celebrations were not intended to be violent in nature, they were inappropriate. Both teams were also issued warnings following Tuesday's incident, when officials assessed double technical fouls to Morant and Hield. No technical foul was issued to Morant for Thursday's gesture.

The incident is particularly concerning given Morant's disciplinary history. Morant has twice been suspended by the NBA for brandishing actual firearms on social media. Morant was first suspended for eight games in March 2023 after an Instagram live stream from a Denver nightclub, and then for 25 games to begin the 23-24 season after another firearm incident on social media in May 2023.

Morant, who hit the game-winning shot at the buzzer against the Heat, now faces potential additional discipline from the league for disregarding the warning issued earlier in the week.

Via ESPN

Does the league consider MIkal Bridges celebration a gun too?

Yup, that's your franchise cornerstone you fired your winning coach for, Griz.

Aimed at no one and done in celebration. Shooter MaGavin would get a life time ban in this nba. Better fine the murray bow and arrow as well, its a primitive gun after all.

hyberx wrote:Yup, that's your franchise cornerstone you fired your winning coach for, Griz.

Hush!

Dude is a genius

You can't fix stupid

TheCage4 wrote:You can't fix stupid

This.

beefymajesto wrote:Aimed at no one and done in celebration. Shooter MaGavin would get a life time ban in this nba. Better fine the murray bow and arrow as well, its a primitive gun after all.

It's there league that they make billions on.. Its not his free time.. And I like shooter MaGavin and this is somewhat ridiculous given the USA ridiculous gun culture but the NBA knows that's its family audience wouldnt like it so they don't want it..

This guy keeps doing the unthinkable by making Zion look professional.

My five year old finger guns things all the time. Then my wife and I have to freak out and say DON'T DO THAT AT SCHOOL... All over nothing, he's five... Wish we could take things in context, and respond accordingly. Morant did finger guns at nothing, and that's a problem? If they think there's a link between their player doing finger guns, and someone winding up dead, then get rid of the player.

If Morant is so committed to guns, he should start a youtube channel. With Demolition Ranch guy retiring, there's an opening in the market. Maybe if he did things in a safe way, the NBA could use it as a positive influence, and would chill out about it.

I agree with others that are saying the whole concept of this being an inappropriate gesture is stupid. However, given that he knows how much trouble he has gotten into in the past from gun-related incidents, and how much trouble he will still get into from this, makes you question is maturity and professionalism. You can't trust this guy to be the face of your franchise.

The NBA needs to stop with this bull. We live in a culture that GLORIFIES violence. Violent movies, violent video games, violent TV shows, etc. Stop trying to be the PC police like morons, acting like some silly hand gesture is going to cause violence, but there's nothing wrong with showing somebody getting decapitated in a movie with blood everywhere. Skeletor is an idiot.

Vegeta10176 wrote:

beefymajesto wrote:Aimed at no one and done in celebration. Shooter MaGavin would get a life time ban in this nba. Better fine the murray bow and arrow as well, its a primitive gun after all.

It's there league that they make billions on.. Its not his free time.. And I like shooter MaGavin and this is somewhat ridiculous given the USA ridiculous gun culture but the NBA knows that's its family audience wouldnt like it so they don't want it..

This country is a complete joke. We have no problem with kids getting gunned down in school every few weeks, but an NBA player making a hand gesture? THAT'S TOO FAR!!!!

It really sows doubt in one’s mind about the competence of the league’s leadership when you see them focusing on inane bull like this. For some reason, against all sense, they are bound and determined to run one of the more exciting American stars out of the league.

jmbish87 wrote:Does the league consider MIkal Bridges celebration a gun too?

Does Mikal Bridges have a history with suspension related to guns? If so, then yes absolutely they should!

I guess the league's sternly written memo after the game vs the Warriors didn't hit home with Morant.

After dual episodes involving actual guns on video, suspensions, as well as a recent warning just this week, it's clear Ja is effectively giving the middle finger to the league. If he didn't already have multiple issues with guns, his gesture probably wouldn't mean much. However, the fact that this is now the 4th or more time indicates the league needs to make an example of him.

I can't wait to see what Adam Silver chooses to do.

Guns are used in many sporting events such as running and the NBA is making a big deal out of nothing.

Barcs wrote:The NBA needs to stop with this bull. We live in a culture that GLORIFIES violence. Violent movies, violent video games, violent TV shows, etc. Stop trying to be the PC police like morons, acting like some silly hand gesture is going to cause violence, but there's nothing wrong with showing somebody getting decapitated in a movie with blood everywhere. Skeletor is an idiot.

Sounds like something we should try and change.

It's nice that you brought up all the make believe: movies, video games, etc. Ja is a part of that. He's fake and guns are a game to him... but real kids are really killing each other. They are making everyday decisions on how to scrape by in a tough world and they are too young to understand that Ja is just pretending. It is disrespectful to every parent out there (particularly in neighborhoods like where I came up) trying to keep their kids from real gang life. Ja's too young and dumb to know any better, but one day he'll probably get it.

And none of that actually matters. His employer said not to do it. Every company has a code of conduct. It's not hard!