I’ve had sufficient of Ja Morant. In all truthfully, I’m beginning to get irritated with this younger man. Have you ever ever heard the age-old adage “In the event you give them an inch, they’ll take a mile”? Nicely at this level, Morant has taken 5 miles, and we preserve letting him slide. These celebrations aren’t him making an attempt to be inventive, or him really making an attempt to have fun. He’s trolling the league, and the very fact the NBA received’t convey the hammer down on him tougher actually exhibits how shameless the league has turn into.
This all began a few week in the past, when Morant introduced again his gun celebration in opposition to the Golden State Warriors. He and Warriors sharpshooter Buddy Hield made the gestures towards one another throughout a timeout. Social media exploded at Morant’s audacity, and for apparent causes. Morant is absolutely the final individual that needs to be doing gun celebrations. As an alternative of letting it’s a one-off, he broke it out 5 minutes into the following sport in opposition to the Miami Warmth. The NBA had no alternative however to step in and high quality him $75,000. It might sound unfair, however whenever you have a look into Morant’s historical past, it is smart why the NBA hit him exhausting.
In 2023, Morant crashed out. For no matter motive, he needed to be a YN and determined to start out toting weapons on Instagram Stay. The primary incident occurred in March, when Morant was seen flashing a gun at a Colorado nightclub, resulting in an eight-game suspension from the league. Then, barely two months later, in Could, he did it once more, displaying a firearm whereas chilling in a automobile with a buddy throughout one other reside stream. This second err in judgement resulted in a extra extreme punishment: a 25-game suspension firstly of the 2023–24 season, one thing he nonetheless hasn’t recovered from almost a full season later.
Morant continues to behave out whereas Griz fades
Morant‘s incapacity to bounce again is the rationale he continues to behave out. Since serving that 25-game suspension, he has appeared like an imposter. The spotlight performs come few and much between, form of like his commercials. The league doesn’t market or push Morant anymore and neither do sponsors. We are able to solely assume this implies much less cash in his pocket as properly. Not solely has Morant’s standing fallen, but in addition his staff.
Final season, the Grizzlies missed the playoffs for the primary time since 2020, Morant’s rookie 12 months. This season, the staff is free falling so unhealthy — they’re now eighth, locked into the play-in video games after squandering an opportunity to complete high two within the Western Convention on the All-Star break — that they fired Taylor Jenkins, a coach that almost all thought was wonderful. Now, as a substitute of making an attempt to proper the ship and get again within the good graces of the league, Morant is doing the whole lot doable to troll them tougher.
Enter his newest celebration: the grenade. Morant broke out his newest celebration after his high quality throughout a sport in opposition to the Charlotte Hornets. Once more, social media erupted as a result of everyone is aware of precisely what Morant is doing with that celebration. He’s making an attempt to rub it within the NBA’s face and see how far he can take it. At this time, it’s a grenade, I’m positive we’ll see some form of knife celebration within the close to future too. It’s simply unhappy that Adam Silver and the NBA are permitting one participant to indicate up the league like this. David Stern would by no means.
Ja Morant ditched the gun celebration for a grenade celebration pic.twitter.com/tgKKWidB5k
— Deadspin (@Deadspin) April 11, 2025
Stern acted decisively, not like Silver
Not everyone favored Stern, which might be the rationale for Adam Silver’s strategy, however no one ever performed with Mr. Stern. He wasn’t scared and even barely bothered at hand down punishment. And when he got here down, he got here down exhausting, to the purpose the place offenders wouldn’t even consider making an attempt these actions once more.
Silver, nevertheless, has gotten so candy with the league, that star gamers troll him on nationwide TV. I get it, Commissioner Silver, you desire a good working relationship along with your gamers, however clearly they aren’t involved about one with you. Now, you’ve gotten one of many greatest stars within the league throwing grenades and taking pictures weapons for thousands and thousands of kids to see and mimic. This what the NBA has turn into now?
I’m no disciplinarian, however the NBA permitting Morant to do that with no repercussion exhibits how tender it has turn into. If this was some other participant doing this celebration, I might perceive why the league would possibly let it slide, however not with him. No means. If I used to be the commissioner, Morant can be sitting for an additional 25 video games only for pondering he might play with me like that. The league calls me and tells me to cease and the following sport I do it once more? After which after I get fined, I determine a brand new variant of it? No, get this man out of right here.
Morant deserves the whole lot that has come his means. He’s misplaced the love of the general public, misplaced tens of thousands and thousands of {dollars}, misplaced a few of his capacity, and now he’s simply straight dropping. And truthfully, he can solely blame himself. Till he grows up and realizes he’s an NBA participant, not a rapper or the pretend thug he’s making an attempt to painting, this downward spiral will solely proceed.