Basketball Wives Producers Angry About Face Slap Lawsuit?

Sources close to production tell TMZ ... Williams was already on thin ice with the show -- even before her slaptastic showdown with Nia Crooks -- but now that she has filed a lawsuit ... that ice is breaking FAST.

We're told producers think the suit is BS ... claiming Jennifer never had a problem with fighting before and insist this is a desperate publicity stunt to keep her storyline interesting -- securing her a place in season 5.