Memphis Grizzlies locker room tension reached an absolute breaking point this Wednesday morning. Now, it is safe to say that Ja Morant’s relationship with the franchise is on the edge, and it is just intensifying active trade talk around him.
Recently, a viral clip showed him and his teammate Vince Williams Jr. getting into a heated verbal exchange during practice. Coaches had to interfere to break them apart after their on-court exchange lasted for several minutes.
Cameras captured every second of the tension, and lip-readers decoded every frame of the footage.
Ja Morant’s Explosive Lip-Read Trash Talk at Vince Williams Jr. Goes Viral
Their verbal confrontation kicked off when Williams apparently challenged Morant during the practice, suggesting taking their beef somewhere private. The South Carolina native wasn’t having it.
“I don’t f*ck with y’all, I’m with whatever,” Morant fired back, according to online lip readers. However, Williams repeated his invitation. “Let’s go to the back,” he said twice, but Morant remained firm in his ground again. “Why? I’m right here,” he responded with zero hesitation.
The tension exploded when Morant delivered his money line, saying, “You’ve been here for 5 minutes! You’re not like that.” For the unversed, it was a direct shot at Williams’ status on the team, who joined Grizzlies as an undrafted free agent in 2023.
Assistant coach Darnell Lazare came forward to comfort him, but Williams shoved him away. Williams felt broken after learning that Morant had never seen him as an equal due to his low average off the bench. During the standoff, Moreant repeated, “I don’t give a fuck. I’m with whatever. I’m right here.”
Morant was suspended one game earlier this season for blasting the coaching staff after a Lakers loss. Whatever social media lip-readers decoded revealed he hasn’t changed a bit after that.
A handful of folks may argue that his outburst wasn’t just about Williams but frustration with the entire organization because Morant has reportedly told the league he’s no longer paying attention to the Grizzlies.
The blowup connects directly to mounting trade speculation. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported last Friday that Memphis was entertaining offers for Morant for the first time in his career.
Miami Heat quickly became an attractive option to Morant and his camp, with the guard expressing deep respect for Erik Spoelstra. But Grizzlies aren’t getting much value back in potential deals.
NBA insider Zach Lowe said the Heat’s offer would likely be Tyler Herro and dead money, calling it a “buy low” situation. Grizzlies’ front office showed they’re open to taking bad contracts if they also get young players or draft picks. That’s how far Morant’s stock has fallen.
The Berlin practice fight only reinforces what league executives already believed. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon recently said Morant’s career can’t continue in Memphis. Both sides need a reset.
At this point, it’s not about whether he gets traded. It’s about when and how little the Grizzlies get in return.
