So here we are again—Ja Morant back in the headlines. Last week, the NBA came down hard on him with a $75,000 fine. The reason? Multiple imaginary gun gestures made during a game. What made it worse was that this wasn’t his first warning. The league had already flagged this exact move as “inappropriate,” but Morant decided to go ahead with it, anyway, seemingly doubling down on his defiance.

Now, instead of backing down, Morant went a step further. During the Grizzlies’ blowout 124-100 win over the Hornets, he cooked up a fresh celebration. This time? A pretend grenade toss. After sinking a three, he acted like he threw an explosive into the crowd, then covered his ears like it was about to blow.

“That’s my celebration now until somebody else has a problem with it, and I’ll find another one,” he said, clearly taking a swipe at Adam Silver and everyone behind the previous fine.

But while Morant may be brushing it off, Gilbert Arenas isn’t laughing. The former Warriors star thinks the stakes are way higher than just league fines or flashy moves. “The NBA has a problem because the only Nike player that they actually have when LeBron leaves is Ja Morant in Wimby, but Ja Morant for guards,” Gil pointed out. “That’s why Nike needs to re-evaluate how they’re going to come at young fella… I don’t think he knows who he really is or what he’s supposed to be.”

Moreover, Gil believes Nike can’t afford to sit on the sidelines. “You have to have that nice conversation with him because if you kill him off, who is your guy? Who is representing you? No one.” His suggestion? Make Morant the face of the next era—just like LeBron James. James is 40 years old and soon will be retire from NBA and Gil wants the $82.30 billion brand to secure the future.

And to do that, it’ll take humility and strategy. “I’m begging on my knees first and say, look, us moving forward is in your hands and can you help us help you? Whatever you need, we’re willing to help you because our brand is right now tied to you,” Gil explained. “Please, just throw away certain things. Don’t get in trouble no more. Clean your nose for the next three years and we got you.”

Interestingly, Nike may already be making moves—they just dropped a new Morant sneaker that nods to his childhood roots.

Ja Morant’s Kool-Aid x Nike collab is bigger than just sneakers

Nike just teamed up with Kool-Aid, and the result? A wild, colorful sneaker drop featuring none other than Ja Morant. The Nike x Kool-Aid Ja 2 isn’t just loud in color; it’s loud in culture too. Dropping in two waves—May and July—the sneakers borrow from Morant’s SoCal roots and his favorite Kool-Aid flavors like Blue Raspberry, Cherry, and Lemon Lime. Yeah, it’s as bold as it sounds, and it’s Kool-Aid’s first-ever move into the sneaker world.

What makes it extra sweet though is how personal it is for Ja. “I remember my grandma always having some Kool-Aid in the fridge and that’s part of my special childhood memories,” he said.

And that nostalgia is everywhere in the shoe—from the Kool-Aid Man crashing through walls to Morant’s “12 AM” text and even glow-in-the-dark soles. The May drop leans into bright gradients and performance, while July will bring that classic red Kool-Aid punch with the same cool design.

But beyond the look, this is a cultural crossover with real meaning. “Nike and Ja Morant share our passion for self-expression and driving culture,” said Kristina Hannant, marketing director, ready-to-drink beverages, Kraft Heinz. “This collaboration lets fans mix their kicks and beverages all in one.”

Not only that, Ja Morant will debut his 3rd Nike signature shoe “Nike Ja 3” to begin the Playoffs. Features full-length ZoomX foam cushioning & Ja logo repeat print throughout. “I told them, ‘Don’t be scared. Push it. Make it rugged, make it different.’ And they ran with it,” says Morant.

So it’s a business layer too. Nike’s shareholder returns have dropped 34.31% over the past five years. Even if the recent 2.2% dip is just short-term, a big win like this could shift things. Could Ja really become Nike’s next big face? Well, the sneakers are a good start.