Adam Silver Talks Grizzlies' Future After LeBron James' Viral Comments About Memphis, Nashville

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said the league remains committed to the Grizzlies staying in Memphis in light of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James' recent comments stating that the franchise should move to Nashville.

Silver made the remarks on the Pardon My Take podcast (h/t ESPN).

"[Memphis] has been a great market historically for the NBA, and there is amazing history in that city and amazing culture," Silver said. "There's no reason why the Memphis Grizzlies can't be successful."

Silver also made clear that Grizzlies governor Robert Pera "has no interest in moving the team out of Memphis, he's made that clear."

However, he did express interest in the Grizzlies playing a few games in Nashville.

"Nashville is a city on the rise, there's incredible things happening there," Silver said. "If it were up to me, I would love for them to play a few games a year in Nashville and sort of be Tennessee's team, to the extent that they can."

James made his feelings on playing in Memphis during a recent appearance with the Bob Does Sports crew.

"Staying at the f‑‑‑ing Hyatt at 41 years old? You think I wanna do that s‑‑t? Being in Memphis on a f‑‑‑ing random-ass Thursday?" James asked rhetorically as he laughed (h/t Andscape's Justin Tinsley). "I'm not the first guy to even talk about it in the NBA. We're all like, 'You guys have to move. Just go over to Nashville.' You got Vanderbilt over there. You got the f‑‑‑ing NASCAR. It's got everything."

"Their only chance [to get me on their team] was in 2003 if they would've won the lottery. And I might have pulled an Eli Manning and not showed up," he said.

The Cleveland Cavaliers won the much-hyped lottery to get the No. 1 pick and select LeBron James in the 2003 draft. Memphis finished as the runner-up in second.

One year later, the San Diego Chargers selected Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning with the first overall pick. Manning made clear that he had no desire to play for the Chargers, who traded him to the New York Giants on draft day.

As for the Grizzlies, their lease with the FedExForum expires in 2029. However, as Memphis Mayor Paul Young noted, the city wants to keep the Grizzlies in town, and both sides are negotiating (h/t Lucas Finton of the Memphis Commercial Appeal).

"We'll see," Young said at his State of the City address last February when asked if he thought a new deal could be signed by February 2027. "I mean, we're working real hard on the Grizzlies lease. I feel real good about where it's going. I don't want to put a timeline on it, but I feel confident that we're gonna get it done."

Young also said the city has been "working real hard" on negotiations.

Back in Sept. 2025, Young told Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal that the two sides were "working in good faith" and having "consistent and in-depth conversations."

The Grizzlies originally began play in Vancouver after joining the NBA as an expansion team in 1995. They moved in 2001 to Memphis. This season marked the Grizzlies' 25th NBA campaign in the city.