Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant defended his city against Stephen A. Smith's safety concerns, declaring his intention to remain while questioning negative media narratives.

The back-and-forth between Stephen A. Smith and Ja Morant is definitely going somewhere. Recently, Smith unapologetically shared his thoughts on ESPN’s First Take about some NBA stars feeling uneasy about playing in Memphis.

The Grizzlies acquired Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four first-round picks and a pick swap in exchange for Bane. It's a move that perhaps signals Memphis is looking to move on from its core and rebuild, which has put Morant's name in countless trade rumors over the past week.