With reports the NBA may be exploring expansion for the 2028-29 season, everyone has a take on the top cities as rumors were rampant. Some basketball pundits have suggested Nashville as a franchise location.

However, Nashville Predators majority owner Bill Haslam has no immediate plans to make that happen.

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“We’re not actively bidding on anything,” Predators CEO Sean Henry, speaking on behalf of Haslam, told The Tennesseean on March 19. “Those are just rumors.”

ESPN reported on March 16 that the NBA is planning a vote to start the bidding process for two expansion teams, both of which would be in the Western Conference. That drew sports personality Stephen A. Smith to suggest the Memphis Grizzlies should move to Nashville during his March 16 appearance on ESPN’s “First Take.”

“I’m certainly not getting on and advocating that Memphis loses a team,” Smith said. “Because I don’t want that to happen to that city. But in the same breath, you wonder about Nashville, comparing that to Seattle, and wondering what kind of possibilities may present itself in that regard.”

Henry said there hasn’t been talks between Haslam and the Grizzlies.

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“As far as any conversations with Memphis or the Grizzlies, that’s not happened,” Henry said. “I think Memphis is the right place for the Grizzlies to play and I hope they stay there forever.”

Bill Haslam’s interest in NBA, WNBA, MLB

The idea of professional basketball in Nashville is not new. In early 2025, Haslam put in a bid for a WNBA expansion franchise. The team, which was to be called the Tennessee Summitt in honor of Lady Vols coaching legend Pat Summitt, was not awarded when the league announced expansion in July.

Though that bid fell through, Henry said Haslam is always looking for ways to elevate Nashville and Tennessee as a sports market.

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“I’ll speak for the whole organization and on (Haslam’s) behalf, we’re always interested in doing anything that puts Nashville forward,” Henry said. “Every single league could bring a team (to Nashville) and be successful. Every (league) would do well. Our fans are incredible, our city is incredible. I can’t speak for what could be in someone else’s head, but I do know one thing. … (Haslam) loves this state. He served as mayor of Knoxville for eight years, governor for eight years. If there’s anything he can do to bring franchises to the stat, he would do that.”

Haslam, the former governor of Tennessee, has expressed some interest in bringing MLB to Nashville, but has also explained logistical challenges to professional baseball. WNBA and NBA would be more likely, given that Bridgestone Arena could be used as a potential home.

MLB TO NASHVILLE? What Predators owner Bill Haslam said about feasibility of MLB team to Nashville

Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Alex at jdaugherty@gannett.com. Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1. Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Bill Haslam ‘not actively bidding’ on NBA expansion or Grizzlies for Nashville