With the NBA officially exploring the addition of new expansion franchises in Seattle and Las Vegas, league commissioner Adam Silver appears to have his sights set on Nashville. Appearing on Barstool Sports' 'Pardon My Take' podcast, Silver was asked about recent disparaging comments Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James made about Memphis, home of the NBA's Grizzlies.
Silver's Comments on Memphis and Nashville
Silver initially doubled down on Memphis, saying Grizzlies governor Robert Pera has 'no interest' in moving the team, but he did add a few curious comments. 'Nashville is a city on the rise,' Silver said. 'There's incredible things happening there.' What's more, Silver would like to see the Grizzlies play the occasional game in Tennessee's capital city. 'If it were up to me, I'd love for them to play a few games a year in Nashville and sort of be Tennessee's team to the extent they can,' Silver said about the Grizzlies.
LeBron James' Criticism of Memphis
James recently slammed Memphis' hotel accommodations during an episode of the 'Bob Does Sports' YouTube show. 'Staying at the f***ing Hyatt at 41 years old, you think I want to do that s****?' James said. 'Being in Memphis on a random-a** Thursday. I'm not even the first guy to talk about this in the NBA. We're all like, 'You guys have to move.' 'Go over to Nashville,' James added. '… They got everything.' Not only does Nashville have a slightly larger population (700,000+) than Memphis (600,000+), but it's also more affluent, with a median household income of $77,371 annually, compared to $51,736 for Memphis, according to US Census data.
Silver's Defense of Memphis
Silver did push back against the anti-Memphis narrative, telling Pardon My Take's hosts that he's heard positive things about the city along the Mississippi River. 'First of all, players I talk to all the time like playing in Memphis,' Silver said. 'I've never heard that issue of players not wanting to be in Memphis. … Memphis has been a great market, historically for the NBA, amazing history in that city, amazing culture.' 'From my standpoint, there's no reason why the Memphis Grizzlies can't be successful,' he said.
Memphis ranked near the bottom of ticket sales in 2025-26 as the team finished 25-57 amid widespread speculation that star point guard Ja Morant is on his way out of town.
