A few hours in, and the clips of the Memphis Grizzlies team practice went viral. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a highlight dunk or a full-court shot, but something that shows the disarray the team has fallen into. Star guard Ja Morant and reserve player Vince Williams Jr. got into a heated argument, and new information has now been revealed.

X user and NBA fan @legendz_prod, who regularly puts together transcriptions of audio from games and clips, did so for this one. Here’s some quick background: the Grizzlies are in Berlin to prepare for one of the NBA’s international games against the Orlando Magic, and Morant was expected to play.

It all started with a challenge from Williams, a role player who took on an extended role this year amidst the flurry of injuries that the Grizzlies have faced, and logged some fantastic performances, including two performances with 15 or more assists while starting at point guard. Morant’s response wasn’t subtle, simply stating, “I don’t know you.”

That line felt like a boundary being drawn, with Morant asserting hierarchy while reminding Williams that there are levels inside the locker room. Things escalated quickly from there, with assistant coach Darnell Lazare stepping in to try to defuse the situation, but being pushed away by Williams.

Morant didn’t back up, simply telling him, “I don’t give a f—. I don’t f— with y’all. I’m with whatever. I’m right here.”

By this point, the argument had moved past words into something that teams hope never leaves the gym. When Williams suggested taking it to the back, indicating a willingness to escalate to even a fight, Ja Morant shut it down, telling him that he had “been here for five minutes.”

This was about authority. Morant was arguing about locker-room status, including who gets to speak to or question him, and made it clear to Williams that, in his opinion, he hasn’t earned it yet and had overstepped his boundaries.

What followed the Ja Morant-Vince Williams Jr. confrontation amid trade chatter

A few hours after the practice, Ja Morant was officially ruled out of the Grizzlies’ game with a right calf contusion despite telling reporters that he hoped to play during media availability earlier in the day. As soon as clips of the incident circulated, however, the noise outside just got louder.

Morant has been the target of trade rumors all season, especially with a decline in driving ability and explosiveness, as well as a suspension from the team earlier this season. About a week ago, insider Shams Charania had reported that the Grizzlies were open to trading Morant for the first time since drafting him in 2019, and things are looking bleak for his future in Memphis.

The Miami Heat have appeared as the main suitors for Morant, with multiple reports claiming that Morant’s representation has identified the Heat as the only destination that he would welcome. Morant also holds deep respect for Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, the longest-tenured coach in the league, and sees him as someone who can stabilize the narrative around him as well as his game.

However, the leaked audio has cast an uncomfortable spotlight on the Grizzlies’ locker-room dynamics, and it remains to be seen how Memphis responds to this moment—both privately and publicly.