NBA Expansion: Seattle and Las Vegas Poised for Teams
NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA is taking a significant step toward expansion, with league owners voting Wednesday to explore adding franchises in Las Vegas and Seattle. This marks the first formal consideration of expanding beyond the current 30-team structure in years, bringing the possibility of NBA basketball back to Seattle and establishing a presence in the rapidly growing Las Vegas market.
A Long-Awaited Decision
Expansion has been discussed for some time, and Las Vegas and Seattle have consistently emerged as the frontrunners. Both cities boast strong histories with the NBA and passionate fan bases.
Las Vegas: A Growing Sports Hub
Las Vegas has been actively courting a major professional sports franchise for years, hosting the NBA Summer League annually and serving as the site of the inaugural NBA Cup championship games. The city’s commitment to sports is further demonstrated by the presence of the NFL’s Raiders, the NHL’s Golden Knights, and the WNBA’s Aces, with MLB’s A’s also planning to relocate there. “Today’s vote by the NBA Board of Governors is a testament to the incredible growth we are seeing in Southern Nevada and the business-friendly environment in our state,” said Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo.
Seattle’s Pursuit to Reclaim the SuperSonics
Seattle is eager to welcome back an NBA team after losing the SuperSonics in 2008 when the franchise relocated to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder. Washington Governor Bob Ferguson expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “the time is right” for the return of the Sonics. Various groups have been actively working to bring the team back to the city since its departure.
The Process Ahead
The NBA has engaged investment bank PJT Partners as a strategic advisor to evaluate potential markets, ownership groups, arena infrastructure, and the broader economic implications of expansion. The league is considering a potential expansion fee of at least $6 billion per team. The earliest possible timeline for new franchises to commence play is the 2028-29 season.
Potential Conference Realignment
Adding two teams, likely both to the Western Conference, would create an imbalance in conference sizes (17 teams in the West and 15 in the East). To address this, the league may consider moving a current Western Conference team to the Eastern Conference. New Orleans, Memphis, or Minnesota are geographically logical candidates for such a move.
Player Distribution Considerations
Expansion will also require careful consideration of how to distribute players across the new and existing teams. Adding two new clubs will necessitate existing teams parting with talent to stock the rosters of the expansion franchises.
Reactions from Players
Players with ties to Seattle expressed excitement about the prospect of a team returning to their hometown. New Orleans guard Dejounte Murray, a Seattle native, highlighted the city’s strong basketball culture, stating, “It’s a basketball city, a basketball culture, so it’s a must, I suppose, that they bring it back there.” Magic forward Paolo Banchero, also from Seattle, echoed this sentiment, expressing the long-held hope for the city’s return to the league. Golden State coach Steve Kerr called the SuperSonics “one of the iconic franchises in the NBA” and expressed surprise at the length of time it has taken for the team to potentially return.
Not a Done Deal
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver reiterated that expansion is not guaranteed. The league could choose to add no teams, one team, or two teams. “There are some owners who felt that, frankly, we just don’t need to expand,” Silver said. “They didn’t necessarily seem worried going forward, but they felt like we’re in a very solid place with the 30-team league we have now.”