- Evan Turner suggests a move to Nashville for the Memphis Grizzlies
- Turner says Nashville is ‘waiting’ for a professional team
- Grizzlies could benefit from change of scenery
Memphis, Tennessee has a long and accomplished basketball history, and the Grizzlies have existed there for over 20 years, dating back to March of 2001. But amid growing unrest in the city, and a questionable culture in the Grizzlies locker room, is it time for the franchise to pack up and move somewhere else?
Former NBA player Evan Turner raised some eyebrows when he suggested the idea on ‘The Old Man & The Three.’ “I’ll put it in Nashville,” he said. “Take (the Grizzlies) out of Memphis, and put the team in Nashville.” While it’s not unprecedented for NBA teams to change cities, the Nets were the last franchise to make the change and that was back in 2012.
Still, Nashville would make an ideal home for the Grizzlies, especially considering its closer proximity to the East Coast. According to Turner, the market is ripe there for some rep in the NBA. “In regards to Nashville, a lot of people are moving from L.A. to Nashville,” Turner added. “It’ll be a big splash. A lot of people are waiting for a team like that out there, (to a place) that people are moving to.”
Nashville Team Is A Real Possibility
With an NBA expansion team all but assured within the next 10 years, most fans have settled between two cities that they’d like to see join the NBA family: Las Vegas, Nevada, and Seattle, Washington. Of course, depending on the details of the expansion, the league may need to shift a West team to the opposite Conference.
The Grizzlies are already closer to the Atlantic than the Pacific, so moving to Nashville would make them a perfect candidate to change Conferences and balance out the league. The question is, how soon can we actually expect a new team? We know from Adam Silver himself that expansion talks are still several years away and no drastic changes are expected before 2025. “I think I’ve always said that it’s sort of the manifest destiny of the league that you expand at some point,” Silver said, via ESPN. “We’ve been putting a little bit more time into it than we were pre-pandemic. But certainly not to the point that expansion is on the front burner.”
Ultimately, only time will tell us when/if this expansion happens, but nothing can be ruled out at this time. While Memphis would obviously love to keep their team, one has to consider what is best for the NBA… and best for the Grizzlies as a franchise
The Best Move For The Grizzlies
It’s no secret that cultural problems have been plaguing the Grizzlies for years now. Last season, after a strong start, we saw things unravel when Ja Morant got tangled up in violent and unhinged behavior. And while many factors are to blame for the ordeal, a change of scenery could ultimately help cure the culture and maturity issues in the locker room.
In Memphis, the Grizzlies are seen as a young and reckless team with unearned confidence. In Nashville, the Grizzlies could become something new and start over with a brand new slate. For now, this all remains a long-shot dream scenario, but it is certainly something to think about as expansion talk heats up across the league.
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