Memphis Mayor Paul Young released a statement on Tuesday night weighing in on Stephen A. Smith's comments about the city of Memphis amid speculation about a possible Ja Morant trade. In a segment on if the Grizzlies should move on from Morant, Smith spoke about how the alleged crime in the city makes it not an attractive destination for the NBA's best players.

“The people in Memphis, it's a great sports town, great fans, great people,” Smith said on Tuesday afternoon. “But there's an element there where cats like Jimmy Butler and others don't feel it's the safest environment. I'm talking to the local authorities in Memphis. You gotta clean some of that stuff up because it's dissuasive to NBA players. They have talked about it. I know. They told me.”

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Young released a statement via his social media account responding to Stephen A. Smith, saying:

“Stephen called us a great sports town – facts. Best fans in the game? True. People of Memphis? Unmatched. But what he is missing is that crime is down significantly in 2024 and 2025. We're not just talking change, we're delivering it. Memphis is rising, and we've got the numbers and the heart to prove it. If Jimmy or anyone else is unsure, come see for yourself. And Stephen, we'll welcome you here anytime. Just don't bet against us. Memphis doesn't stay down. Big shoutout to all of the Memphians and Ja Morant for jumping into the mix today. Ja repping his city like that shows exactly why he's one of us. His greatness is undeniable, but it's his heart that makes him Memphis.”

Following the social media criticism, Smith appeared to clarify his comments on today's edition of First Take.

“I think the citizens in Memphis, I think a lot better can be done for them and Ja Morant staying put [with the Grizzlies] and being the galvanizing force that he can be, I think will assist in that. That's what I was trying to say,” Smith said. “I apologize if anybody was offended by it, but facts are facts,” Smith continued. “There are concerns in that city, and as a Black man in this country, who cares about my peeps, I'd be d—– if I would be silent when all of these troubles are taking place.”