The leaked audio from the Mavericks’ 102-96 loss to the Grizzlies pulled the curtain back on a night where frustration, ego, and old rivalries all collided. What started as a routine hard foul turned into a running exchange that stretched from the floor to the bench, with Santi Aldama throwing the first spark and Ja Morant finishing it off.
The tension escalated late in the third quarter, when Aldama tripped Cooper Flagg, who was clearly not impressed. Klay Thompson then stepped in to defend the rookie, and the mic picked up the chatter when the two got into it.
Santi Aldama: “You a b***h.”
Klay Thompson: “I’m a b***h?”
Santi Aldama: “Yeah… you’re funny.”
Aldama laughed as he walked away, but the moment stayed with Klay. Late in the fourth quarter, Klay missed a potential game-tying shot. And as he jogged back, the cameras caught Ja Morant, dressed in street clothes because of a calf strain, giving him a thumbs down from the bench.
At the end of the game, the situation escalated even higher. The leaked audio captured Ja and Klay’s back and forth, with both players being separated by the coaching staff.
Ja Morant: “Shut your a** up. Lil a**. You a bum.”
Klay Thompson: “You’re not even playing.”
Ja Morant: “You a bum, n****.”
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Klay didn’t let it slide after the game. He didn’t yell or rant, but the irritation came through clearly.
“Ja is a funny guy. He has a lot to say all the time, especially for a guy who rarely takes accountability. It’s funny to run your mouth when you’re on the bench. It’s kind of the story of his career so far. He’s just been letting a lot of other stuff get in the way of that. When you’re a star, it comes with responsibility. I hate to see that go to waste.”
That last sentence hit harder than the trash talk. It wasn’t just a comeback. It was a pointed reminder of where both players stand right now. Klay is a four-time champion, an Olympic gold medalist, one of the greatest postseason shooters ever, and someone who has fought through multiple career-threatening injuries.
Ja is one of the league’s most talented stars, but he’s played only 202 regular-season games in four years and has never reached a conference finals. His numbers this season are the worst of his career across the board.
Even worse for Memphis: this was their first back-to-back string of wins all year, and Ja wasn’t on the floor for either of them.
Klay actually played his best game of the year with 22 points, but his missed three in the closing seconds handed Morant the opening he was waiting for.
Trash talk has always been part of this rivalry. It started in 2022, simmered through playoff matchups, and survived suspensions, injuries, and roster changes on both sides. But the leaked audio changed the temperature. It made the feud feel real again.
And after hearing everything that was said, one thing is clear: Memphis and Dallas didn’t just play a game. They added another chapter to a rivalry that refuses to die.
