Report: Ja Morant given massive reprieve in gun gesture investigation by Adam Silver
Ja Morant turned heads on Tuesday in the matchup against Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. In the fourth quarter of the 125-134 defeat, Morant made a finger-gun gesture towards the Warriors bench after Buddy Hield made a similar motion directed at him. Morant and Hield were the subject of an investigation by the NBA, which delivered its ruling on Thursday.
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Hield and Morant will not receive any further punishment aside from a verbal warning from the league. In the league's opinion, it determined that the gestures were not malicious and didn't carry any violence. However, the NBA told both players that the celebration was unnecessary and should be avoided in the future.
Morant's use of finger guns carries a different weight than Hield or other NBA players after his issues with firearms two seasons ago. The Memphis Grizzlies guard was handed a lengthy suspension by the NBA after video surfaced of him displaying a firearm at a club in Denver. Morant received outside help and spoke with Adam Silver before returning to the league.
Morant has tried to move on from the incident but Tuesday's display was a concerning reminder for fans around the league. He and the Grizzlies should be thankful that the punishment given by the league was only a warning. They can ill afford any absences from key players as the regular season's end is nearing.
How have the NBA handled recent conflicts, including Ja Morant and Isaiah Stewart
Throughout the history of the league, the NBA has had to handle intense situations with its players when they get into fights or do things off the court that represent the league poorly. Handling punishments to players has become a big point of discussion among fans. Adam Silver and the league have taken steps to not overreact and take players off the court for too long.
Ja Morant's situation might have been a point of concern for the NBA, but a suspension would have likely been met with complaints from the Grizzlies and their fanbase. Meanwhile, the conflict centered around Isaiah Stewart and members of the Minnesota Timberwolves could be considered a more serious offense. The league suspended four players for one game and Stewart for two games.
As the postseason draws closer and teams continue to fight for playoff positioning, the league has been transparent in its efforts to exercise caution when handing down punishments to players and teams that break league rules. Morant's actions were likely a one-off event, and the NBA decided that a verbal warning was all that was necessary.