Fans of the Memphis Grizzlies can breathe a sigh of relief… somewhat.
Following a turbulent season that included a trade of a franchise cornerstone (Jaren Jackson Jr. ), an almost-trade and prolonged absence of the former leading guy (Ja Morant), 31 players getting their chance as injuries mounted and tanking intensified, and numerous gratuitous shots from NBA superstars like LeBron James and Kevin Durant at Memphis’ suitability as an NBA city…..
It looks like the NBA commissioner is supportive of the team.
For the time being.
In an interview with Pardon My Take on Barstool Sports, Adam Silver discussed the Memphis situation and where it currently stands, both now and in the future.
Well, first of all, the players I speak with on a regular basis enjoy competing in Memphis, Silver says. I’ve never heard that players do not want to be in Memphis. Second, the Memphis Grizzlies’ owner, Robert Pera, has stated unequivocally that he has no plans to transfer the club out of Memphis.
Some of the conjecture about a relocation has centered on the presence of Nashville, which currently has the NFL’s Titans and the NHL’s Predators and a stronger overall financial situation than its sister Tennessee city.
For example, consider this from James on a golf course for a video podcast last month:
“I’m fing 41 years old. Do you believe I want to do anything in Memphis on a random Thursday? I’m not the first person in the NBA to mention this. You guys need to move the team… “Just go over to Nashville already. “
Silver discussed that as well.
Nashville is definitely a city on the rise, with incredible things happening there, according to Silver. If it were up to me, I’d like them to play a few games each year in Nashville and kind of be Tennessee’s team to the greatest extent possible. But Memphis has long been a strong market for the NBA. That city has incredible history and culture. And it’s a big country. So, as I look around at our 30 clubs, we want them to succeed everywhere. We feature a revenue sharing model, among other things. But, from my perspective, there is no cause why the Memphis Grizzlies cannot prosper.
They may not be successful on the floor for a few seasons, depending on how quickly the rebuild goes, but they have three of the top 32 picks in a deep upcoming NBA draft, and this was a 50-win club not all that long ago.
The NBA intends to grow to at least two new locations, with Las Vegas and Seattle being the most popular options. Perhaps Nashville will become involved in the situation at some point. However, at least for the time being, it does not seem like the decision-makers, from ownership to the league, intend to alienate a current fan base by removing themselves.
