After the NBA launched an investigation and Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant received a warning from the league about making a finger-gun gesture, he made the gesture twice during their game against the Miami Heat on Thursday, earning himself a $75,000 fine.
The league announced the fine on Friday. Here is the full statement:
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant has been fined $75,000 for twice making an inappropriate gesture on the playing court, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations. Morant was previously warned by the league office that this gesture could be interpreted in a negative light.
The gestures were made by Morant during the Grizzlies’110-108 victory over the Miami Heat on April 3 at Kaseya Center.
After Morant made the gesture during Memphis’ game against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, he and Warriors guard Buddy Hield were issued warnings, but not fines, as the NBA concluded that their celebrations were not intended to connote violence, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. That was not, however, a green light to continue doing it.
Morant has faced league discipline before for incidents involving actual guns. He was suspended for the first 25 games of the 2023-24 season for appearing with a gun on Instagram Live 10 weeks after receiving an eight-game suspension for the same thing.
Morant hit the game-winner against Miami.
