As the National Basketball Association moves closer to expansion, conversations around league structure are beginning to heat up.
Commissioner Adam Silver recently acknowledged that the NBA is taking formal steps toward adding new franchises, with Seattle and Las Vegas widely expected to be the leading candidates.
If both cities are awarded teams, it would create a clear imbalance between the two conferences, as both franchises would almost certainly be placed in the Western Conference.
That has led to growing debate about how the league should realign itself, and Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green has offered a bold solution.
Speaking on The Draymond Green Show, Green suggested that multiple teams should shift conferences, and even floated the idea of relocating a franchise entirely.
“Obviously the first thought is, the conferences,” Green said. “Vegas has to be in the Western Conference, Seattle has to be in the Western Conference.
Minnesota should be an Eastern Conference team… Memphis, which should probably be in Nashville, should be an Eastern Conference team.”
Green didn’t stop at just conference realignment. He went a step further by proposing that the Memphis Grizzlies be moved out of Memphis altogether and relocated to Nashville. According to him, such a move could simplify logistics and even avoid relocation complications if handled creatively.
While his relocation idea may be more speculative than realistic, the broader issue he raised is very real. If the NBA expands to 32 teams, the league will need to ensure a balanced structure, most likely 16 teams in each conference.
Realignment inevitable as NBA eyes expansion
With Seattle and Las Vegas expected to land in the West, at least one current Western Conference team would need to shift to the Eastern Conference to maintain balance.
Two of the most commonly discussed candidates are the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Memphis Grizzlies. Geographically, both teams are located further east than several current Eastern Conference franchises, making them logical options for a switch.
Green specifically highlighted Minnesota as an obvious choice, noting that moving them east would be a simple fix with “no harm, no foul.” Memphis, meanwhile, sits even further east geographically, strengthening the argument for its inclusion in the Eastern Conference, regardless of whether relocation is ever seriously considered.
Another potential candidate mentioned in broader discussions is the New Orleans Pelicans, who could also shift conferences depending on how the league chooses to structure its divisions.
Of course, Green also floated a more radical idea: eliminating conferences altogether. While that concept has been discussed in NBA circles before, it would represent a major overhaul of the league’s traditional format and seems far less likely in the near future.
For now, expansion appears to be the priority. But once new teams are officially added, realignment will become unavoidable. Whether the league opts for a simple conference switch or considers more dramatic changes, the NBA‘s structure could look very different in the coming years.
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