While the Cavaliers await to play the Grizzlies this Thursday in the NBA’s return from the All-Star Break, Darius Garland was asked by The Athletic what he thought about their upcoming matchup and which city he thought the league should continue to expand in the next years.
While most conversations about expansions usually talk about LeBron James’ idea of starting one in Las Vegas, or even revive Seattle as a basketball city, the Cleveland superstar has a different perspective on where Memphis should play.
The 25-year-old wants to have an NBA franchise in his hometown. “Nashville, because I live there. How about we move Memphis to Nashville, put a team in Vegas, a team in Paris, a team in Dubai and a team in Saint-Tropez?” Garland said.
Move the Grizzlies to Nashville? Cavs star Darius Garland has an NBA expansion idea that won't thrill Memphis fans. https://t.co/jWHbWVFcJS
— Commercial Appeal (@memphisnews) February 19, 2025
The idea of moving the Grizzlies to Nashville isn’t entirely new, as JJ Redick once proposed it before, saying that the proposal would “make sense” after Evan Turner mentioned it in a podcast together.
The now-Lakers head coach later apologized. “The Memphis Grizzlies have a great, great fan base,” he said. “They’re a great organization. Memphis has a soul, a culture. The Grizzlies should never leave Memphis. All right, let me say that. I should not have cosigned that. I made a mistake. I apologize Memphis, I do. I apologize.”
Darius, on the other hand, has plenty of reasons to want the NBA club to be in Nashville. Not only did he study there in high school at Brentwood Academy, he also played college basketball at Vanderbilt before heading into the NBA Draft.
Up to this point, there is no indication that the Grizzlies will move their franchise at all, but it would be a fair guess to say that Nashville could be a potential destination. However, there is a plan that city officials are moving forward to fund a $550 million renovation of FedExForum.
