John Salley says the Ja Morant critics need to pipe down ... telling TMZ Sports he truly believes the NBA superstar didn't have bad intentions when he appeared to do a gun celebration on Tuesday night.
Salley told us the firearm-themed gestures -- which Morant seemed to hit following a thunderous alley-oop dunk in the Grizzlies' overtime win over the Pelicans -- were merely "a part of hip hop culture" ... and nothing more than that.
AYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO pic.twitter.com/hwVXbU5UY7
— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) December 27, 2023
"He's not saying, 'Forget ya'll -- I got my gun!'" the four-time NBA champion said on Wednesday. "He probably didn't even realize it."
"It's nothing meaning anything," he added.
No way @JaMorant did a gun celebration this man is funny pic.twitter.com/izLcH2ZnUE
— Case Harrison (@CaseHarrison) December 27, 2023
Of course, basketball fans all over social media have disagreed with that stance -- with many on X calling it a "tone-deaf" situation ... considering the 24-year-old had just served a 25-game suspension for a string of incidents involving gun-related social media videos.
Salley, however, was just sure there was no ill will involved in the post-dunk celly.
"I don't think he's trying to mock anybody," Salley said. "I don't think he's trying to be mean about it."
"Leave Ja Morant alone ... Leave him alone."
Salley also shared with us his opinion on his former Detroit Pistons squad -- which just lost its 27th game in a row on Tuesday night.
He said he doesn't think the team has quit or anything like that -- though he certainly didn't seem optimistic that things were going to get any better in the Motor City anytime soon.