The writing was on the wall for the Vancouver Grizzlies when the Canadian dollar weakened after the 1998/99 NBA lockout, which caused Orca Bay Sports and Entertainment to lose money with the franchise.
Eventually, the franchise was sold to Michael Heisley, who moved the team to Memphis, Tennessee, in 2001.
While it was sad for the Vancouver fans, the move was one of the most exciting developments in Memphis history. The city quickly embraced its NBA team and has never let go since…