"Just got to be smarter" - Shannon Sharpe makes his feelings clear about Ja Morant's finger guns celebration

NFL legend and ESPN analyst Shannon Sharpe made his feelings clear about Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant's latest controversial move on Tuesday in his team's loss to the Golden State Warriors.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Wednesday that the NBA is investigating Morant's actions late in Memphis' 134-125 defeat at the FedEx Forum. The Grizzlies' superstar was caught on camera pointing finger guns at the Warriors' bench when his team was down by seven with less than a minute left in the game.

On Wednesday's episode of Nigh Cap with Chad Ochocinco, Sharpe reacted to Morant's latest controversy involving a gun gesture. The Hall of Famer believes the 25-year-old should be smarter and not give more money to the NBA for doing unnecessary stuff.

"Ja just got to be smarter," Sharpe said. "I get that he's young, but bro, they done took some money from you. I ain't trying to give y'all no more money. ... At one point in time, they thought he could be the face of the league. And now they talking about can they win with Ja."

From 1:11:52 onward:

Ja Morant was initially suspended for eight games during the 2022-23 NBA season when he brandished a gun while inside a strip club in Denver. He didn't learn his lesson that offseason, showing off a gun on social media, with the league handing out a 25-game suspension to start the 2023-24 NBA season.

In addition to Morant, Buddy Hield is also part of the investigation since there's a video showing he was the one who did it first. Hield provoked the Memphis Grizzlies guard to finger-point, but still, as "Unc Shannon" pointed out, Morant has to be smarter than that just based on his history.

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Grizzlies executive rips rumors about Ja Morant's future in Memphis

Grizzlies executive rips rumors about Ja Morant's future in Memphis. (Photo: IMAGN)

The Memphis Grizzlies went from being a Top 3 team in the West to dropping into the play-in spots before the end of the regular season. The Grizzlies fired coach Taylor Jenkins with the playoffs about to start in less than two weeks.

Ja Morant's future in Memphis has also been questioned after several rumors that the franchise could make him available this summer. However, Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman called the rumors "fantasy" and Morant won't be getting traded.

"I can’t blame other 'executives' for fantasizing about us trading Ja," Kleiman said, according to The Daily Memphian's Drew Hill. "But it's just that - fantasy. We are not trading Ja. Continue to underestimate Ja, this team and this city, and we will let our performance on the floor speak for itself. I’m not going to give this nonsense further oxygen and look forward to getting back to basketball."

The Grizzlies are currently sitting in eighth place in the West (44-32) with six games left in the regular season.