The NBA is reportedly investigating Buddy Hield and Ja Morant for making gun gestures at each other during the final seconds of Tuesday’s Warriors-Grizzlies contest.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant. Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The incident occurred when Hield, from the sidelines, made a finger-gun gesture at Morant, who, in response, elongated his left arm and mimicked shooting a gun at Golden State’s bench. Both players were issued technical fouls for the incident.

It’s common practice for NBA players to pull out imaginary guns during a game. However, Morant’s involvement in the incident has raised some eyebrows.

It’s well-documented that the NBA suspended the All-Star guard for brandishing a firearm on social media on two separate occasions, which led to him sitting out a total of 33 games.

Morant wasn’t the instigator of Tuesday’s incident. Hield provoked the Grizzlies star, albeit in a sporting manner.

Despite Morant’s past, it would be a travesty if the NBA were to suspend or fine him for the incident. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith is correct in pointing out that Morant “didn’t do anything flagrant” and shouldn’t be disciplined for a harmless moment at the end of a game.

The panel of The Athletic’s “No Dunks” podcast highlighted that players routinely used the gun celebration previously but were rarely penalized for it. There were two incidents involving fans getting reprimanded for mimicking guns, but players themselves have seldom been disciplined.

“This is silly,” said analyst Trey Kerby. “Ja Morant did it, so did his dad, so did one other guy, so did Buddy Hield, and so do players every single night in the NBA. But because it’s Ja, they’re gonna take a look at it.”

Tas Melas and J.E. Skeets both predicted Morant will be fined, but the latter took it a step further and said the NBA could ban the celebration altogether while taking a cue from the NFL and NCAA.

“I think the NBA is gonna ban this celebration completely,” Skeets said. “They’ve done it in the NFL, they’ve done it in college. They’re gonna try and take away any gun-type gesture whether it’s two players doing it to each other or not.”

Morant made a series of cryptic posts on X on Wednesday that hinted at his unhappiness with the NBA’s investigation.