Dyson Daniels denies making gun gesture at the Pelicans while celebrating a 3 in a Hawks win

 Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels rejects tion that he pretended to spray gunfire toward former teammates after hitting a 3-pointer in front of New Orleans' bench during a 126-111 victory over Pelicans on Sunday night.

“I was just telling m all that it was worth 3 points," Daniels said, ting that when he extended his right arm toward Pelicans' bench area, his thumb and two or fingers were extended, representing 3 points.

When told his gesture also appeared to resemble a gun , Daniels said, “It might have looked like it, but I was just telling m it was worth 3 points. You kw, pointing at m all, that’s all it was. I was making sure y all knew how many points it was worth."

NBA has handed down some high-profile fines for gun gestures in past dece, including $35,000 to Josh Jackson in 2017 and $25,000 to Gerald Green in 2015.

Meanwhile, Ja Morant was suspended 25 games in 2023 for waving an actual gun during a social media video.

Some on Pelicans' bench appeared to ask officials to asses Daniels a technical foul for unsportsmanlike conduct.

“I didn’t get one. So, ref was right," said Daniels, an Australian whom Pelicans me eighth overall pick in 2022 NBA Draft. “I was just out re having fun. I was hoping to hit a 3 in that corner so I could let bench kw about it. It was a game I h circled on my calendar.”

Daniels and Hawks forward Larry Nance Jr. were tred last offseason from New Orleans to Atlanta as part of a deal that brought point guard Dejounte Murray to Pelicans . Murray did t play on Sunday night, having been sidelined four to six weeks by a broken hand during New Orleans' first game of regular season.

Nance laughed when asked if he thought Pelicans who called for Daniels to be assessed a technical foul were just kidding around, too.

“You kw what? comment," Nance said. "I’m going to steer clear of that one.”

Nance, like Daniels, h some back and forth with Pelicans bench, staring m down after a third-quarter dunk and n blowing m a kiss after a corner 3, also in front of New Orleans' bench.

Nance said that as he went into his shooting motion from behind 3-point arc, Pelicans players were yelling, “Hell, !”

“One, we’re all competitors. And, two, we’re friends," Nance said. "You’re able to say some things to each or just because we kw it’s all love.

“Everybody in that locker room I have thing but love and miration for," Nance ded. "Tonight was a lot of fun. I’m gl we won.”

Daniels finished with 16 points in what was also his return from a two-game absence because of a right hip strain that he said was longer boring him.

“Even if I wasn’t 100%, I was going to make sure I’d be back for this game,” Daniels said, ting that it was a tough moment for him when he first learned New Orleans was tring him.

“It was unexpected. I came into league here and this was home for me," Daniels said. "y drafted me. y believed in me. Everyone was great to me. But this is a business; se things happen. So, you’ve got to move on from it. I’m happy to be in Atlanta. I’m enjoying my opportunity re.”

Nance scored 14 points during Sunday's game, which got chippy at times and included a flagrant foul against Hawks guard Garrison Matws for what looked like a hard forearm to mid-section of Pelicans guard Jose Alvaro.

“I don’t kw what of play was that," said Alvaro, who was restrained by teammates as he vanced toward Matws, yelling.

"I just wanted to ask him what was going on with that,” Alvaro said. “It wasn’t really like being aggressive. It felt like it was a cheap shot. I don’t kw why he did it.”