Ja Morant's First Post After LeBron James News

Just 23 minutes after the NBA officially announced James' downgraded status for the All-Star Game, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant posted a bear emoji on X.

"," Morant wrote.

Morant has made this exact post several times before on X, sharing a bear emoji to represent the Grizzlies. That said, the timing of this post has fans saying the Grizzlies star should have replaced James in the All-Star Game.

"U replacing lebron tonight?" a fan asked.

"go sub in for bron," a fan wrote.

"How quick can you get to San Francisco?" another fan asked.

"You go instead of Lebron," a fan added (translated to English via X).

"you should be there 12," a fan claimed.

Morant is averaging 20.7 points, 7.4 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 32 games this season. The two-time All-Star has missed games and also seen his production dip from previous years, but his Grizzlies are 36-18 which ranks second in the Western Conference this season.

"Lebron could’ve gave up his spot," another fan replied.

"ja is catching the first plane to san francisco," a fan commented.

"Ja ain't ducking Da Smoke," a fan wrote, adding a gif of James.

James' decision not to play is already controversial, but the timing of his announcement is what really has people upset. Had James announced this earlier, the NBA could have replaced him with a different player, like how Trae Young and Kyrie Irving were added for the injured Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Davis. 

"LeBron’s ankle soreness and foot injury isn’t new," Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints wrote. "If he wasn’t going to play in the All-Star Game, he should’ve let the league know because there are plenty of players who would’ve gone to SF to play. Not to mention all the fans that went to see him."