Adam Silver Comments on Memphis Grizzlies

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has reaffirmed the league's commitment to Memphis, despite his earlier comments suggesting he'd like the local team, the Grizzlies, to play some games in Nashville, another city in Tennessee.

"Memphis has historically been a great market for the NBA, and there's a fantastic history and culture in that city. There's no reason why the Memphis Grizzlies shouldn't be successful," Silver explained on the sports podcast Pardon My Take.

According to Silver, Grizzlies owner Robert Pera "has no interest in moving the team to another city and has been clear about his intentions." The club's future was recently questioned after superstar LeBron James stated he disliked visiting Memphis for games and proposed the team relocate to Nashville, the most populous city and capital of Tennessee.

"Nashville is a city on the rise – incredible things are happening there. If it were up to me, I'd like them to play a few games a year in Nashville and be a team for the entire state of Tennessee, as much as they can," Adam Silver said.

Over the past two years, the Grizzlies have held training camps in Nashville but have yet to play regular-season games there. The NBA already has examples of teams visiting nearby cities for games; the San Antonio Spurs played two "home" games in nearby Austin, Texas, in recent years.

"The players I talk to constantly enjoy playing in Memphis. I haven't heard any player say they don't want to go there," the American commissioner asserted.

The Grizzlies' current lease agreement for the FedExForum in Memphis expires in 2029, and the team is negotiating with the city administration for its extension. A $550 million renovation is planned, involving the municipality, the state of Tennessee, and private sponsors.

The team finished the regular season with a record of 25 wins and 57 losses, missing the playoffs for the second time in the last three seasons.