Ja Morant can’t seem to stay out of the spotlight—and not always for the right reasons. This time, it was a celebration—or more like the wrong kind of celebration. After a clutch play, Ja made a gesture that looked like he was pointing a gun, and… well, let’s just say the league was not amused.

The NBA didn’t waste any time handing down punishment—Ja Morant got slapped with a $75,000 fine and a suspension. While it might’ve looked like just a quick, emotional reaction on the court, the context made it worse. Especially since this wasn’t Ja Morant’s first run-in with gun-related controversy. It’s like the league finally decided that enough is enough.

Upon hearing the news, Gilbert Arenas took to Instagram and shared a post. In the post, initially, there was a video of Ja Morant imitating gun signs with his fingers toward the bench. Then it transitioned into Gilbert giving Ja a suggestion.

He said, “Ja stop this shit man. What is wrong with you out here, man? You know you can’t do nothing gun-related, dawg. Throw the grenade or something… But with a gun come on man damn… Your ass about to be suspended again… You got to find another way to celebrate.” Offering Ja Morant an alternative celebration to the one that caused havoc for him, Gilbert then aptly captioned the post, “Ja hit the bench with the @callofduty grenades 😂 Let the trigger finger go for now 💯”. Talk about a novel solution!

At this point, it feels like Ja Morant and gun-related controversies are becoming way too familiar. The celebration in question—where Ja mimics firing a gun after a big play wasn’t a one-off thing. He’s done variations of it multiple times, both on and off the court, and it’s starting to wear thin with the NBA.

Ja Morant’s gun gestures: how many times is too many?

To date this season,  Ja Morant has averaged 22.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per contest. He is shooting 45.5 percent from the floor and 30.3 percent from outside the arc. Talent? Not an issue. But his celebrations? The league has made it clear they’re not here for it, especially with everything else that’s happened around Ja in the last couple of years. 

Let’s not forget, this isn’t just about a single celebration. Ja was already suspended for eight games in 2023 after flashing a real gun on Instagram Live. Then, not long after returning, he did it again, which led to a much harsher 25-game suspension. So now, even a seemingly “harmless” on-court gesture hits differently. The NBA sees it as part of a detrimental pattern of a young star not learning from past mistakes.

This time around, it wasn’t just fans reacting or analysts raging. The league took action fast. A $75,000 fine and a suspension sent a clear message: even if it’s just a gesture, it matters. The NBA has been trying to polish its image and promote accountability, and Ja Morant’s antics keep pulling it in the opposite direction.

It’s frustrating because Ja Morant’s talent is off the charts. He’s electrifying, marketable, and has the potential to be the face of the league for years. But every time he slips up like this, he chips away at the trust the league and fans are trying to place in him. At some point, the question becomes: how many chances does one guy get before the consequences are too big to deal with?