What does Ja Morant's grenade celebration mean? Why Grizzlies superstar doing it is a problem 

Ja Morant has been the most talked-about player in the NBA recently, but not for his play on the court. Instead, Morant's celebration has brought unwanted attention to himself and the Memphis Grizzlies as they struggle to return to the top six spots of the Western Conference standings. Morant's celebration has resulted in him being warned and fined by the front office of the NBA.

The celebration that has been so problematic for Ja Morant has seen him hold up his hands in a finger-gun gesture, pointing it at opposing players or the crowd after he has hit a big shot or at the end of a close game. Morant, along with Buddy Hield, received warnings from NBA commissioner Adam Silver for exchanging finger-gun signals at the end of the Grizzlies-Warriors game on April 1st.

The warning from the NBA didn't stop Ja Morant, who mimicked the celebration against the Miami Heat in the Grizzlies' next game. After he was fined $75,000 as a repercussion for his actions, he took two games to figure out a new celebration that has his name in headlines yet again.

After hitting a three-pointer in Thursday night's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Ja Morant acted as if he was holding a grenade, pulling the imaginary pin with his teeth and throwing it. The NBA has yet to deliver any ruling on the celebration, but Morant doing it is cause for concern, both because of his history with weapons and his open defiance of the NBA.

Ja Morant has a rocky history with weapons

Ja Morant has been able to stay on the court for the Grizzlies this season, outside of a few lower-body injuries that have seen him miss 31 of Memphis' 80 games so far this year. Despite his injuries, Morant hadn't carried any off-court issues to the Grizzlies, and it appeared as though the young point guard had put his gun issues behind him.

Ja Morant was suspended for eight games during the latter end of the 2022-23 season after video of him waving a gun around at an evening club in Denver. The 6-foot-2 shooting guard sat down with Adam Silver last offseason and assured him he would not violate the rules of the league in the same way again, but the NBA was forced to suspend him for the first 25 games of the next season because a similar video was released in the offseason.

Since then, Ja Morant had mostly put the issue behind him and the focus went back to his excellent play on the court as he has led the Grizzlies back into contention in the Western Conference this season. Morant has received criticism from reporters and analysts in the sports media injury as they advise him to stop doing his celebrations and focus his energy elsewhere.

Ja Morant is an influential figure amongst young NBA fans

Ja Morant, along with fellow young stars like Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, have been touted as the faces of the next era of the NBA. Morant is popular around the league, especially in Memphis, where he is the face of the Grizzlies franchise, helping them transition from the "Grit n' Grind" era to now.

Morant's actions, though, carry more potential harm than fines from the NBA for his violations. Children look up to players like Morant and emulate him and others not only when playing sports but also in their regular lives. Morant's celebrations are dangerous because of what they could influence children to do.

Adam Silver has been adamant about the fact that NBA players and teams have an obligation to the fans in their community and around the world to set a good example and be positive role models. Morant's actions go against that mandate and while fines and suspensions are tools for the league office to help players get back on the right track, Morant's actions could have unforseen consequences.

Ja Morant can't afford to risk punishment because of his celebrations

Celebrations are commonplace throughout the professional sports world, but Ja Morant has toed the line of what the NBA is willing to allow its players to do in a game. However, because of his history with firearms and the boldness he carries himself, Morant has a shorter leash than other players when it comes to what he can get away with.

Morant's grenade celebration has yet to trigger a response from the NBA, but as the regular season comes to its close, it's possible that it could affect the Memphis Grizzlies' first-round series if he continues to do it. Because they have already given him a verbal warning and a fine, the next step for the league would be to hand Morant a one-game suspension.

Holding Ja Morant out of a playoff game in the first round puts the Grizzlies at a huge disadvantage, but according to Morant, he won't stop his celebrations, regardless of what the league does to stop him.

"That's my celebration now until somebody else has a problem with it, and I'll find another one," Morant told reporters about his new move.

Morant is one of the more bold stars the NBA has seen in recent memory, but if he isn't careful, his reputation will take a negative connotation, focused far more on his antics and questionable celebration instead of his excellent play on the court.