Klay Thompson erupts on Ja Morant for 'running his mouth' in street clothes

Klay Thompson took exception to Ja Morant's trash talk following the Memphis Grizzlies' 102-96 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night, and he didn't hold back during his postgame media availability session in the locker room. Morant did not play in this game due to a calf strain that has kept him out for the last three games, but he still decided to get in Thompson's face as the two were walking off the floor.

Thompson clearly didn't like what Morant said, and he let local Mavericks media members know how he really feels about the seventh-year guard just over an hour after the game concluded.

"It was really just running his mouth, and he’s been running his mouth for a long time," Thompson said of Morant. "It’s funny to run your mouth when you’re on the bench. It’s kinda 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 great responsibility, and I hate to see that go to waste."

Klay Thompson finally put Ja Morant in his place

This was easily one of the boldest quotes of Thompson's Mavericks career thus far, and he took exception to Morant's actions following this game. Morant must have made things personal in their postgame exchange. Thompson enjoys trash talk when it doesn't cross the line, but he didn't shy away from firing back at Morant this time.

Thompson's above quote hinted at the off-the-court issues and injuries that Morant has dealt with over the past few years when diving into what he said in their interaction after the game. Morant has been suspended multiple times over the past three seasons, including two suspensions for flashing a gun on Instagram Live, and Thompson's comments about Morant didn't stop there.

"He's a funny guy," Thompson said about Morant. "He has a lot to say all the time, especially for a guy who rarely takes accountability."

Thompson's beef with Morant and the Grizzlies dates back to the 2022 NBA Playoffs when Thompson and the Golden State Warriors eliminated them in six games on their way to the Western Conference Finals, and it seemed like the emotions on both sides definitely exploded on Saturday.

Thompson did whatever he could to keep Dallas in the game, as he finished with a team-high 22 points while shooting 6-12 from downtown, and he stood on business when things got chippy.

He got into altercations with Santi Aldama and Vince Williams Jr. during the game, and this is some of the most flair that we've seen from him since he signed with Dallas in the summer of 2024. Jason Kidd liked the energy that Thompson brought in this one, but it just wasn't enough to put Dallas on top.

"I thought he brought great energy for a back-to-back, it’s something that we needed," Kidd said about Thompson. "He was a big reason why we were in the game. We need that energy."

Thompson shot the ball well in this one despite all of the trade noise surrounding his name off the court. He's also dealt with some early-season struggles, including getting moved to the bench for the first time in his Mavericks career, but he looked sharp against Memphis.

The Mavericks and Thompson have a ton of pressure on their shoulders to win games right now, but the main storyline from this one is undoubtedly his comments on the Grizzlies as a whole and Morant. This was personal, and their next matchup against Memphis on February 27 is going to be must-watch television.

"They just talk a lot," Thompson said of the new-era Grizzlies. "They’ve always talked a lot, and never really backed it up either. So, I don’t really respect that. I respect guys who back up the talk with play, cause talk is cheap. Trust me, I know that better than anybody. Been in this league for a long time."