Adam Silver quashes relocation rumors, emphasizing no teams are moving. But questions linger about the Grizzlies' future and potential league expansion dynamics.
Relocation speculation surrounding the Memphis Grizzlies met a firm response from the NBA’s top office over All-Star weekend.
Speaking Saturday in Los Angeles, Adam Silver was asked whether expansion discussions could involve current franchises changing cities. His answer was direct and unambiguous.
“Relocation is not on the table right now,” Silver said.
The comment came amid renewed national chatter about the Grizzlies, who have frequently appeared in offseason think pieces and television segments examining which small-market teams might be vulnerable if the league expands. The speculation has less to do with formal movement and more to do with optics and timing.
Memphis finished 26th in home attendance during the 2024-25 season, a statistic often cited when national analysts compile “teams to watch” lists. The Grizzlies are commonly grouped with Minnesota and New Orleans — franchises in smaller markets with ongoing arena or lease questions.
But the structural facts surrounding Memphis remain significant.
The Grizzlies are under lease at FedExForum through the end of the 2028-29 season. In 2022, an amendment removed a previous early-termination “ticket shortfall” clause that once provided a potential exit mechanism before 2029. At the time, local officials described the change as a step toward ensuring the team remained in Memphis through the life of the agreement.
What fuels ongoing chatter is the space between that firm lease expiration and the absence of a finalized long-term extension. City, county and team representatives continue negotiating a new agreement and a substantial renovation package for the arena. Approximately $230 million in state funding has been earmarked, while total renovation estimates approach $550 million. Officials have acknowledged urgency, noting that construction would not begin without a new lease in place.
Overlaying those local discussions is the league’s broader expansion timeline.
Silver reiterated that the NBA expects to make decisions in 2026 regarding potential new franchises. Seattle and Las Vegas are widely viewed as leading candidates if the league moves forward. The addition of two Western-based expansion teams would almost certainly trigger conference realignment to preserve competitive balance.
In that context, Memphis often surfaces as a logical realignment candidate rather than a relocation candidate. Geographically, the city sits east of several current Eastern Conference franchises and closer to numerous Eastern markets than some teams already competing there. Writers frequently blend realignment and relocation into a single narrative, but the league treats them as distinct processes.
Formal relocation requires a detailed application, review by a relocation committee and approval from ownership. The process evaluates market viability, sponsorship strength, media relationships and long-term fan support. There has been no public indication that Memphis ownership has initiated such proceedings.
For now, Silver’s message sets the league’s official tone. Expansion remains under consideration. Realignment could become part of those discussions. But moving a franchise out of its current city is not part of the active agenda.
That distinction matters in Memphis, where the conversation has largely been driven by attendance figures, lease timing and broader league restructuring debates rather than by concrete steps toward departure.
The smoke surrounding the Grizzlies may persist through the 2026 expansion window and the 2029 lease horizon. Yet as of All-Star weekend, the commissioner made clear that speculation about an imminent move does not reflect the league’s current posture.