There's been speculation that Memphis could lose the Grizzlies. It had better not.
Some fans may not remember, but the Memphis Grizzlies didn't start out in Memphis.
At one time, this was a Canadian team.
It's an interesting wrinkle in Grizzlies history. From 1995 to 2001, they were based in Vancouver. That said, they've been in Memphis ever since.
Broadly speaking, they've found success on Beale Street. The Grizzlies have been a playoff fixture. They built around Pau Gasol, brought his brother in for the grit-and-grind era, and transitioned into the Ja Morant years. It's rare for Memphis to rebuild, though it's what they're currently doing.
If some people had any say, that would mean the franchise would move cities again.
This is only a topic because the league is looking at expansion. In a few years, it looks likely that the Seattle Supersonics will return, and that Vegas will have a team as well.
It's going to mean restructuring for the NBA. It doesn't necessarily mean that a team will be replaced, but it is a possibility. The league could decide that, while it's worth adding teams to those markets, 32 teams is just too many. The Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green would have one of those teams replacing Memphis — although his reasoning only has so much to do with the league's health.
"There are no great hotels in Memphis," Green said. "I love the people, but from an NBA standpoint, there's no sauna or hot tub in sight. Nowhere. Not at the gym, not at the spa, not at a hotel, nothing."
Frankly, it doesn't feel like a valid reason to move an entire NBA team.
People in Memphis love the Grizzlies. They're the only major sports team in town. Despite playing in a small market, their attendance record speaks for itself.
Take the Grizzlies out of Memphis, and you take major American sports out of a historic city. You put an end to a story that should be ongoing.
It also feels like a needless punishment for an organization that's never tanked and managed to generate fan interest despite being in one of the league's smallest markets. Memphis deserves to have the Grizzlies, and the Grizzlies deserve to have Memphis.
So, Draymond Green can live with subpar motels. It's a small price to pay for preserving something priceless. When the league expands, it should not move away from Memphis. Intead it should be embraced.
Even if its origins are in Canada.