CT

I was a HUGE Grizzly fan, but I've stopped cheering for them since the move.

Instead, I've become a King and Hawk fan.

I was originally a big King fan before the Grizzlies moved, but since Bibby got traded, the Kings have become my favorite team.

shyFX325

your an administrator so i am gonna try to be nice about it, but the idea of having a team out of North America is jsut ridiculous. Probaby the stupidest idea david stern has ever had. Just look how the experiment is failing in canada, in baseball and basketball there were 4 franchises a couple years back...now one is gone to memphis, the other is owned by the league on its way out. Players always complain about cross country road trips, could you imagine the jetlag flying in and out of europe, not to mention the time and cost. the franchise might have a good fan base at first, but all these adversities would hold the team in the basement and lead towards long term disaster, how are you gonna talk a nba superstar into packing up and leaving the country??? Are we already forgetting how much the grizzlies were hurt when Steve Francis refused to be drafted by them.

Killuminati

The NBA isn't failing in Canada, Toronto was in the top 5 in attendance last year, during hockey season! I think that says something as I know people that worship the Maple Leafs. It failed in Vancouver cuz of bad owners, general managers, coaches, no real superstar, terrible W-L record etc. I bet the Memphis Grizzlies had the same attendance as the Vancouver Grizzlies.

HORNETSFAN

I would doubt that any other city will be considered for an NBA franchise in the near future other than Charlotte. If, for some reason, Charlotte does not get an expansion team, I do not see the NBA expanding at all.

JOHNNY_BRAVisimO

i agree about waiting for the NBA talent to catch up, lets wait at least another 8 years for the league get get deep in talent before we decide to dilute it

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(Rick Carlisle[2003 Coach of the Year] on the play of Chicago’s Jamal Crawford) "Jamal averaged 30 against us last year when we played them with Detroit. He looks just as good if not better. He's a tremendous player, explosive. He can do a lot of things. He's a piece you can build a franchise around. He played great tonight. He played a lot of minutes, too- 51."

Big John

I think they ought to be contracting, not expanding.

robyg1974

My understanding is that Charlotte could have an expansion team playing ball as soon as the 2003-04 season. Of course, we haven't heard anything about it for 2-3 months now.

Once the NBA gets that 30th team in place in Charlotte, will the NBA be done expanding? Maybe not. Keep in mind that David Stern isn't interested in whether or not the talent is "watered down," he's interested in making money. I think we could very well see 32 teams within 4-5 years. The top two untapped markets, in my opinion, are San Diego and St. Louis.

By the way, forget about Vancouver getting another NBA franchise, the Grizzlies were a disaster, blame it on Stu Jackson or Dick Versace all you want, but that city isn't getting another shot.

Louisville isn't a good candidate simply because there is already an NBA team (the Pacers) in that area. And St. Louis isn't all that far away from Louisville, either. St. Louis is a much better bet than Louisville.

Las Vegas? Well, that city's population has been booming over the past 10-15 years, but I think that Charlotte, San Diego, and St. Louis are all better bets.

Europe and Asia? Out of the question. NBA teams play 3-4 (sometimes 5!) games a week. There's no way that a single NBA owner would agree to adding a team on the Eastern Hemisphere for any number of practical reasons (travel costs, jet lag, lack of interest in a decidedly American product). I'm sure David Stern would like to tap into the overseas basketball market, but I think what he had in mind was a SEPARATE LEAGUE. Perhaps a couple of eight-team leagues--an eight-team NBA Europe and an eight-team NBA Asia.

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Roby G.

BCH

I think Stern is very interested in the Quality of the league as well as the economics. There is a reason that the NBA for the most part has had smart growth, while the MLB has pretty much failed miserabley.

Im The One

If there was a new team in some of those cities
Charlotte
San Diego
St Louis
Las Vegas
etc.
what do you think they would be called

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UNC Tarheels 2005 National Champs

XYRYX

I'd go with Sin-City as well, you can never go wrong at Vegas, you know there will always be some cuties in the stands somewhere, it's all Glitzz & Glamour

UHHH, I don't want to know what will happen if a guy like Chris Webber plays in LV!

I'd love to see a new team in Mexico City!

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Talent is Fiction