J&J Show: Grizzlies to the NBA Eastern Conference?

A major shift could be coming to the NBA, and it could have a big impact on the Memphis Grizzlies. As Rachel Nichols noted on X, the league appears focused on expansion strictly to Seattle and Las Vegas, with no open bidding process essentially "Seattle and Las Vegas or bust."

League owners are expected to discuss expansion at upcoming Board of Governors meetings, with the goal of eventually growing the NBA from 30 to 32 teams. If approved, the new franchises could begin play as early as the 2028–29 season, with ownership bids projected between $7 and $10 billion per team.

Because both Seattle and Las Vegas would likely enter the Western Conference, the NBA would need to shift one existing team to the Eastern Conference to maintain balance. According to league insiders, the two franchises most often mentioned as candidates are the Memphis Grizzlies and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

For Memphis, a move east could make geographic sense and potentially create new rivalries with teams like Atlanta, Indiana, and Chicago. It might also offer a clearer competitive path in a conference historically viewed as less deep than the West. As expansion momentum builds, the Grizzlies could find themselves at the center of one of the NBA's biggest realignment decisions in decades.

Next game: Memphis Grizzlies vs. Chicago Bulls Monday night (3/16) at 7:00 p.m. live on 92.9 FM ESPN