Memphis Grizzlies: All You Need to Know About Grizzlies' Sale to Robert Pera

Current Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley has reportedly agreed to sell the Memphis Grizzlies to multimillionaire Robert Pera, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com.

This happened pretty quickly and unexpectedly, so obviously there are some questions about who Robert Pera is and what the deal entails. This article will give you a nice background.

Robert Pera is a young (34 years old) multimillionaire that earned his money in wireless technology with his own company. He first worked for Apple as a hardware engineer but left the company in 2005. He is the founder and CEO of Ubiquiti Networks, which went public in October of last year.

Pera was born in San Jose, which strikes the wrong chord with some Grizzlies fans after rumors surfaced earlier this year that Larry Ellison, a billionaire, wanted to buy the team and move them there.

However, Heisley has explicitly stated that part of the deal was to not move the team out of Memphis, which Pera has reportedly agreed to. 

While that settles some qualms, it isn't totally safe, as we all can see with the Oklahoma City Thunder-Seattle Supersonics ordeal. Though something like that is highly unlikely—the city of Memphis has a lease on the team until 2021 and can impose heavy fines for relocation before then.

Pera, in addition to having a net worth placed at $850 million by Forbes, is also reportedly a big fan of basketball and is known to play it four to five times a week. Clearly, he is not just a random guy who wants to make money but instead, a true fan of the game that wants to see success.

In an interview conducted yesterday by Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida, Heisley gave us some insight on why he decided to sell the team:

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"Quite frankly, I’m 75. My son is not interested in going to Memphis and running the team. So obviously at some point it was going to have to be done. And quite honestly, I thought it was my job to get it done rather than leave it to my heirs. I've had my surgery on my heart. When [you] get to be my age and things start happening, it makes you suddenly realize if you're going to make these kind of decisions you got to make them while you're healthy -- [not] from a hospital bed."

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He also had some good words for Pera, whom he holds in high regard and seemingly trusts:

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"I think he’ll be a good owner. He’s young. He’s in his 30s. I think he loves basketball. And I think he’s financially very well off. I think he’ll be an excellent owner. But that’s a job for the NBA to decide."

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As a sendoff tribute, Heisley had some final words for the city and the team, marking an end to his successful control of the franchise:

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"I love Memphis. Outside of basketball and in basketball, I’ve done a heck of a lot. I’ve spent a huge amount of money to make the team successful there. I didn’t do it because I’m a special person. I did because I love basketball and I love the city of Memphis and the people there and they’ve treated me fantastic. I have nothing but wonderful feelings."

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Hopefully Pera can successfully guide this team and help them become the Western Conference powerhouse they are expected to be.