Brian Windhorst reports the Grizzlies, Timberwolves and Pelicans are competing to move to the Eastern Conference amid possible NBA expansion.
The NBA has featured exactly 30 teams for more than 20 years, but that could change in the near future.
The possibility of expansion in the NBA is frequently discussed, and next month, there could be a decision to move forward with expansion teams in Las Vegas and Seattle after ESPN's Shams Charania reported in March that all 30 owners were in favor of exploring expansion in those cities.
But expansion also comes with lots of shuffling around the league in more ways than one, and ESPN's Brian Windhorst noted on Tuesday that conference realignment is one factor to consider.
According to Windhorst, various options are being discussed. One such option would be a team moving from the Western Conference to the Eastern Conference, with the Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves and New Orleans Pelicans all "competing" to do so, per the ESPN insider.
A team switching conferences would certainly have major ramifications on that franchise, as factors like scheduling, travel and playoff competition all come to mind. A contending team switching conferences would have a particularly big impact.
The West is often regarded as the superior and deeper conference, and it's easy to understand why. Teams like the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder are likely to be perennial title threats and remain very young, while squads like the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers have MVP-caliber talents to build around.
However, it can't be ignored that the East just dethroned the West in the NBA Finals, as the New York Knicks took care of the Spurs in five games. In fact, the East has now won two of the last three NBA titles.
Still, based on Windhorst's phrasing, it appears that teams would rather play in the East than the West, and that's likely due to the perceived strength of the conference.
While it's no guarantee whatsoever that the Grizzlies will indeed switch conferences if expansion comes, the possibility adds an interesting wrinkle for folks to consider when it comes to the franchise's future. The Grizzlies have always played in the Western Conference, but they've never won it or reached the NBA Finals.
The deepest playoff run Memphis has ever had came when the team reached the Western Conference Finals in the 2012-13 season, only to be swept by the Spurs in four games. Currently, the Grizzlies haven't won a playoff series since the 2021-22 season, when they reached the second round before being eliminated.
Perhaps the franchise would have better luck navigating the East, but for now, it must keep its attention on its current conference.
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