G'day tribe. The last NBA team to relocate was the Seattle Supersonics in 2008 and although The NBA will very likely expand it could also relocate a team to balance the Eastern and Western Conferences. Let's take a look at the most likely teams to relocate.
4. Memphis Grizzlies
Being the least most valuable franchise in the league is always going to end up with the Grizzlies being in the running for NBA teams most likely to relocate.
Although the outlook for the Grizzlies to stay in Memphis was very bleak a few years back their outlook has taken a stunning turn of events. Ja Morant keeps taking the Grizzlies to new heights in Memphis ever since he was drafted with the second pick in 2019 behind Zion Williamson. The 2020 Rookie of the Year became an All-Star in 2022 and also won the Most Improved Player of the Year Award.
He also churned out one of the most iconic playoff performances in franchise history to put Memphis back into NBA relevancy. Ja Morant is the cornerstone who saved the Grizzlies from relocating.
3. Minnesota Timberwolves
In 1993 Minnesota were involved in attempts for relocation to New Orleans due to problems on the lease at their arena. Local businessman Glen Taylor saved the franchise by purchasing it but the Timberwolves continue to have the worst win percentage of any active team in the NBA.
The Timberwolves are also the third-least valuable franchise in the league above only Memphis and New Orleans. Although Taylor saved the franchise from relocating to New Orleans he's considered one of the worst owners in the NBA by some. Not helping Taylor and the Timberwolves cause is the bad press around Taylor's other business ventures and the continued oncourt protests.
As Taylor's ownership comes to an end it doesn't make things any better. Former baseball superstar Alex Rodriguez and businessman Marc Lore will have the option for majority ownership of the Timberwolves in 2023.
New ownership only raises Minnesota higher on the list of NBA teams most likely to relocate and there's already been talks that the new owners could relocate the franchise to Seattle.
...OK tribe I'll be back tomorrow with the final part, and the most likely teams to relocate.
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Wolfgang Sport started in 2017 as a way to connect my passion for American and British sports. Today it's evolved into a blockchain sports blog pushing the boundaries into the crypto world and embracing Web3 technologies.
