Other than being a hot prospect in the trade window, Ja Morant is once again grabbing the headlines with his unique celebrations. The Memphis Grizzlies point guard, who is known for his eccentric attitude, pulled off a ‘bazooka’ celebration against the Orlando Magic in London after draining a long-range three-pointer.

Morant guided the Memphis Grizzlies to an emphatic 126-109 win at London’s O2 Arena, where he finished the game with 24 points, 13 assists, and five rebounds, while 20 of those points came in the first half itself. However, more than his performance, it was his celebration that sent people on social media absolutely berserk, with a few already speculating about the NBA’s upcoming punishment. However, the NBA are yet to officially announce any punishment at the time of writing.

This was a statement performance for Morant and also for the Grizzlies, as the 26-year-old, who is amongst the trade rumors in the last few days, is returning to action after six games due to a right calf strain. Morant announced his return with a record performance and a controversial celebration. He became the first player in the franchise’s history to record 20 points and 10 assists in a half since the 1997-98 season. He also chose the perfect occasion to register a record performance, as it was the NBA’s first regular-season game in London since 2019.

Interestingly, this is not the first time he has pulled off a controversial celebration. In April 2025, he unleashed a grenade celebration, which also went viral on social media. He did it first in a game against the Charlotte Hornets and repeated it in the next game against the Golden State Warriors. This was also done after he pulled off a tough three-pointer. He pretended to pull out the pin of a grenade with his teeth and then threw it towards the crowd and covered his ears. Before that, he also pulled off a gun celebration against the Miami Heat in the same month and was slapped with a $75,000 fine by the NBA. The league sees these weapon celebrations as inappropriate, and Morant has been one of the perpetual offenders of this law.

Despite his superb performance, it is unfortunate that his association with the Grizzlies, the team that drafted him as the second overall pick in 2019, is ending as they are ready to trade him away in exchange for young players and draft picks. Memphis even rejected his extension as they want to rebuild around their young core.

Ja Morant breaks silence on his future with the Memphis Grizzlies

Ja Morant took the NBA by storm in his rookie season as he shook everyone with his scoring, versatility, and, most importantly is his athleticism. He won the 2020 Rookie of the Year and was already considered one of the future superstars, given his potential and raw talent.

However, six years later, he has been a shadow of himself. While Injuries hampered his explosiveness, his off-the-court controversies ruined his reputation. Therefore, once considered the face of the franchise, is now standing on the brink of a final adieu. He will probably be traded before February’s trade deadline. However, when asked about his future destination, Morant once again made it clear that he is too emotionally attached to the Grizzlies.

“Anybody who in here knows me knows I’m a very loyal guy. I have a logo on my back (Grizzlies tattoo), so that should say exactly what I want,” Morant said on the post-game availability when Marc Stein asked about his desired trade destination.

He was also very grateful for all the support and love that he was receiving in London. With the writing already on the wall, Morant is clearly taking one game at a time and soaking up all the love as a Grizzlies player. “Just the love. I’m able to see not only I got love back home, but I got it here too. Fans constantly calling my name and cheering when I score. Thats big time,” Morant said at the on-court interview right after the win.

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For now, the Sacramento Kings, Miami Heat, and Toronto Raptors emerge as top trade destinations for the two-time All-Star as the trade market is extremely frosty for guards with big contracts.