NBA to Consider Studying Expansion Franchises in Las Vegas and Seattle
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The NBA Board of Governors will decide later this month whether to launch a formal study on adding expansion teams in Las Vegas and Seattle, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The vote is scheduled for March 24-25 during the league’s quarterly meetings. If at least 23 of the 30 governors approve, league officials would begin evaluating prospective ownership groups and markets, with each bid expected to range from $7 billion to $10 billion. Should the exploratory phase move forward, a separate vote to grant the two new franchises could occur before year-end.
Sources told ESPN that, if approved, the expansion clubs would debut in the 2028-29 season. Charania said on ESPN’s “Get Up” that support for expansion has grown to a “majority” of owners.
Seattle’s case
Seattle has pursued an NBA return since the SuperSonics relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008. The city’s Climate Pledge Arena—formerly KeyArena—underwent a $1.15 billion renovation and now seats 18,300 for basketball. It already hosts the NHL’s Seattle Kraken.
Las Vegas’ profile
While Las Vegas has never fielded an NBA team, it regularly stages the NBA Summer League and recently hosted the semifinals and finals of the NBA Cup. The 18,000-seat T-Mobile Arena, home to the NHL’s Golden Knights, would be the likely venue.
Potential realignment
Adding two Pacific time-zone clubs would likely prompt conference realignment. The Minnesota Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies are viewed as the primary candidates to shift from the Western Conference to the Eastern Conference if expansion proceeds.
Broader context
Commissioner Adam Silver has alternated between caution and optimism on expansion in recent years, arguing that other league priorities needed to be addressed first. During All-Star Weekend, he reiterated that the NBA has no predetermined number of future teams and will let market analysis guide the decision.
The Board of Governors meeting coincides with the league’s ongoing effort to establish a professional circuit in Europe. Final bids for that project are due by the end of March, Charania reported.
Source: Hoops Rumors
