How NBA expansion could affect the Memphis Grizzlies

The NBA once had 11 teams one year after the merger of the NBL and BAA (1949), and, inevitably, there will soon be 32.

Commissioner Adam Silver said in July that expansion was discussed, including the economic advantages and disadvantages, plus the dilution of talent. Yet one thing is clear: this is only about money.

Established owners will benefit from the distribution of expansion fees, and the Memphis Grizzlies could benefit, too, in other ways. Consider the Grizzlies’ location and how it’s more on the eastern side of the United States. They could be a team to move to the eastern conference if favored locations like Las Vegas and Seattle enter the fold.

Such a move would make the regular marathon significantly easier by seeing less potent teams, especially if they get put in the same division as the Southeast squads. Traveling within the conference would be a bit easier, too.

Although every team would be required to secure a number of their players while making the others available for an expansion draft. The downside is that expanding teams may take a while to get out of the mud and the same goes for the already bad ones. Consider that there are currently between six and eight touch teams to watch in the league; there could be more who get less attention on league pass for a while.

But in fairness, two new, struggling teams could affect the quality of the NBA, but it should not be as much as adding seven locations over a 16-year span. It's an uncertain if the NBA higher-ups would ever want more, but it's hard to see this league having extra teams than the NFL.

The last expansion draft permitted teams to keep eight players. Since it’s hard to see Memphis retaining Ja Morant long term, let’s estimate who would be saved from the Grizzlies’ roster except for him: Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells, Zach Edey, Cam Spencer, Walter Clayton, Ty Jerome, Brandon Clarke and (maybe) GG Jackson.

If those eight names were picked, it would leave them to build around Edey and Coward. I suspect more than a few organizations would be psyched if those were the initial ingredients, too. The former is a massive man who not many can match his strength at age 23; he’s got a nice hook, but another post move would make him one of the top floor spacers in the game. And Coward is a high-level athlete who has shown he can do a bit of everything.

Still, the team would need to sign some plug-and-play guys, since they would be building from a small and vulnerable roster. Additionally, it would probably ensure Memphis’ return to the lottery a year later, but that’s not a terrible thing for a rebuilding squad.