Memphis Grizzlies' guard Ja Morant is under scanner by the NBA after he mimed shooting a gun towards the opposition team's bench in the game against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday. The Warriors won the contest with a scoreline of 134-125, but it was a game that made rounds not because of its result but because of the wrong reasons. Three-time Super Bowl winner Shannon Sharpe was quick to bring forward what transpired last time when Ja Morant showcased similar finger gun antics.
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Shannon Sharpe Unloads on Ja Morant
Morant had already been punished twice for gun-related offences: once for eight games for flashing a gun in an Instagram Live video, and again for 25 games for appearing on film with a gun.
This is the last thing the Grizzlies need after losing four in a row and falling to seventh on the West table with only six games remaining. According to reports, head coach Taylor Jenkins was recently fired in an unexpected move because Morant and his teammates were tuning him out. If Morant is suspended again, Memphis' season could come to an anti-climactic end.
Even if the NBA does not sanction Morant, this latest episode is again another sign that he fails to grasp the complexity of his action. Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson discussed it on last night's broadcast of Nightcap, and while Johnson excused the conduct because Buddy Hield did it to Morant first, Shannon stated that the Grizzlies star should use more judgment.
.“Given Ja’s history, you’d think he would be smarter than that,” Sharpe said. “First of all, that’s Buddy Hield, come on now. I mean, come on. Your name’s Buddy. For real though, if Steph [Curry] do it, ‘Oh, I gotta get you back Steph, ’cause you Steph Curry.'”
Sharpe also highlighted that Morant has missed a lot of play time due to injury and the Grizzles need better from him in order to contend for the championship.
"Ja just gotta be smarter," Sharpe added. Morant has already cost himself a lot of money, with ESPN's Brian Windhorst estimating it to be more than $50 million owing to fines from suspensions, missed future compensation from missing All-NBA teams, and being removed from consideration for marketing opportunities off the court.