Grizzly Owner Will Visit Memphis, Louisville This Week

The owner of the Vancouver Grizzlies is scheduled to visit Memphis, Tenn., and Louisville, Ky., this week, cities strongly vying with Anaheim to lure the NBA team.

The Memphis visit is of particular concern to Anaheim officials. When Grizzly owner Michael Heisley toured the Arrowhead Pond last month, he said he was considering Memphis “to a limited extent” and had no plans to visit. Since then, Vancouver newspapers have reported that the NBA is pushing Heisley to consider Memphis.

While Heisley has assured Anaheim officials that the NBA would not stand in his way should he wish to move the Grizzlies to the Pond, the league is believed to prefer that he choose a new television market rather than one that would be shared with the Lakers and Clippers.

He also is considering New Orleans and Las Vegas.