NBA Board of Governors Approved Vote for League to Explore Expansion in Seattle and Las Vegas

Since beginning with 11 teams in 1946, the National Basketball Association (NBA) expanded several times before reaching its current 30 teams. The NBA last expanded in
2004 with the addition of the Charlotte Bobcats (now rebranded back as the Hornets). However, after more than two decades the Association is yet again stretching and making room for two new franchises. On Wednesday morning it was announced that the NBA Board of Governors have approved the vote for the league to explore expansion teams in Seattle and Las Vegas.

This decision on the part of the board of governors is only the beginning. Nonetheless, it still effectively jumpstarts the chain reaction for the league to add multiple organizations by allowing offers to be brought to the table. As ESPN’s NBA insider Shams Charania explained,

“Breaking: The NBA’s Board of Governors has approved a vote for the league to explore bids and applicants for expansion teams exclusively in Las Vegas and Seattle, sources tell ESPN. A bidding process is expected to generate offers in the $7-10 billion range for each team.

This starts the NBA’s 32-team expansion process. Multiple high-ranking officials have termed expansion as “when, not if.” Now the NBA will examine Seattle and Las Vegas bids over the next several months, and whether to execute the new franchise purchases now or in a few years.”

All the owners of the Association are united in moving forward with examining expansion in these two sports towns. All 30 owners voted in favor of exploring Las Vegas and Seattle expansion. Such solidarity shows how serious and firm the league is about the idea of adding additional franchises.

Nonetheless, when would these two new organizations begin play? At this point in time, the league is targeting the 2028-29 season for the two expansion franchises to start playing. To maintain balance, Executives across the NBA expect either the Minnesota Timberwolves or Memphis Grizzlies to move to the East to realign conferences with 16 each when Seattle and Las Vegas become West teams.

Las Vegas and Seattle NBA Expansion

For 41 years (1967-2008) Seattle enjoyed having a NBA team of their very own. However, in the 2000s everything changed. Seattle has been without an NBA team since 2008, when the SuperSonics relocated to Oklahoma City and changed their name to the Thunder. The city is due and it’s been overdue for the Sonics return.

Vegas on the other hand has been steadily becoming a bonafide sports capital of the world. We had chatted with NBA Hall of Famer, Spencer Haywood; two years back at the Super Bowl held in Vegas; and he had let us in on the secret that Las Vegas and Seattle expansion teams were on the way. Furthermore, he was adamant as to why it made sense for the Association to place a team in the city.

Explaining that a city rich in sports (WNBA, NFL, NHL, and soon MLB); adding the NBA just completes the powerful gauntlet. Sports fans can travel to the Strip to see whatever sport is their flavor and enjoy the Las Vegas playground in the process. A win-win.

NBA Board of Governors Approved Vote for League to Explore Expansion in Seattle and Las Vegas

Nevertheless, now that the vote regarding the cities is complete, it is time for the next steps. NBA commissioner Adam Silver in a statement released Wednesday mentions,

“Today’s vote reflects our Board’s interest in exploring potential expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle — two markets with a long history of support for NBA basketball. We look forward to taking this next step and engaging with interested parties.”

The league will examine Seattle and Las Vegas bids over the next several months. Deciding whether to execute the new franchise purchases in 2026 or in a few years. There will be a potential final vote later this year to finalize the transactions to 32 teams. In both voting rounds, 23 of 30 governors must vote in favor. The league has brought on investment bank PJT Partners “as a strategic adviser to evaluate prospective markets, ownership groups, arena infrastructure, and the broader economic implications of expansion.”

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