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Ja Morant has invited further trouble by showcasing the same "finger gun" gesture on Thursday during the Memphis Grizzlies vs Miami Heat game. The Grizzlies' guard drew flak for miming the act against the Warriors first and was given a warning by the NBA for the conduct. Despite the reprimand, Morant remained unfazed and came back to intentionally commit the same mistake against the Heat, not once but twice.
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Ja Morant Slapped with Heavy Penalty for Disregarding NBA's Advisory
On Friday, the NBA addressed the two-time All-Star’s disregard for the warning and slapped a heavy fine of $75,000 on Morant.
“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,” the league announced. “Morant was previously warned by the league office that this gesture could be interpreted in a negative light.”
The former No. 2 overall selection helped the Grizzlies stop a four-game losing streak by scoring a team-high 30 points on 11-for-22 shooting (3-for-7 from three). Morant blasted the game-winning jumper as time expired, while also recording five rebounds and two assists.
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Ja Morant On His Conduct
Morant discussed the ongoing criticism toward him following the win against Miami.
“I was pretty much a villain for two years now. Every little thing, if somebody can say something negative about me, it’s going to be out there,” the former Rookie of the Year said, per The Athletic. “So, yeah. I don’t care no more.”
Morant has a long history of exhibiting "finger gun". The first incident of the sort occurred in March 2023, during an Instagram live session at a Denver nightclub following a loss to the Nuggets, and it resulted in an indefinite suspension lasting eight games. He was also suspended for the first 25 games of the 2023-24 season for conduct detrimental to the league after brandishing a handgun during another Instagram live session on a friend's account in May 2023.
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