Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant and Golden State Warriors guard Buddy Hield were both issued warnings for mimicking shooting a gun during Tuesday’s game, sources told ESPN on Thursday.
Sources said the NBA ruled that the celebrations were not intended to be violent in nature but were inappropriate. Both teams were also issued warnings.
As timeout was called with 20.1 seconds remaining in Golden State’s 134-125 road win, Morant formed imaginary guns with the fingers on both hands, pointing them toward the Warriors bench with his left arm fully extended as he walked toward the Grizzlies bench on the other side of the court. Hield made a similar gesture from the Warriors bench just before the timeout.
The referees issued double technical fouls to Morant and Hield.
Morant, 25, a two-time All-Star, has twice been suspended by the NBA for brandishing a firearm on social media.
The first incident occurred in March 2023 during an Instagram live stream while Morant was partying at a suburban Denver nightclub after a loss to the Nuggets. The NBA issued an indefinite suspension that ended up spanning eight games.
Morant was suspended for the first 25 games of the 2023-24 season for conduct detrimental to the league after he brandished a firearm during an Instagram live stream on his friend’s account in May 2023.
Information from ESPN’s Tim MacMahon was used in this report.
