Ja Morant Fined $75K by NBA for Finger Gun Gesture in Grizzlies' Win vs. Heat

Ja Morant's decision to go back to the finger-gun gesture in the Memphis Grizzlies' 110-108 victory over the Miami Heat on Thursday wound up costing him money.

The NBA announced on Friday that Morant received a $75,000 fine for "twice making an inappropriate gesture" on the court during a game after previously being warned that the gesture "could be interpreted in a negative light."

Morant previously made the gesture in the Grizzlies' game against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Thursday that the league issued warnings to Morant, Warriors guard Buddy Hield, who made a similar gesture in the game, and both teams.

Charania noted the league ruled the "celebrations were not intended to be violent in nature but were inappropriate."

The warning seemed to prompt a response from Morant on X.

Morant made the same gesture in the first quarter against the Heat after making a three-pointer. He appeared to be directing it toward the Grizzlies bench as he was getting back on defense.

Speaking to reporters after Thursday's game, Morant said he's "kind of used to" the criticism he's received in the wake of using the gesture.

"I was pretty much a villain for two years now," he explained. "Every little thing, if somebody can say something negative about me, it's going to be out there. So, yeah. I don't care no more."

Morant was suspended by the NBA twice in the span of three months in 2023 for gun-related incidents on social media. The first suspension was for eight games when he appeared to flash a gun on Instagram Live at a nightclub hours after a Grizzlies game against the Denver Nuggets.

The second suspension, announced in June 2023, covered the first 25 games of the 2023-24 season after he flashed a gun again in an Instagram Live video that started circulating the previous month.

Thursday's incident overshadowed a terrific Morant performance. He scored 30 points, including the game-winning buzzer-beater, to help the Grizzlies snap their four-game losing streak.