Since January of 2022, the NBA has been talking about expansion. Several cities have been speculated as potential candidates for NBA expansion. At the same time, no official decisions have been made.
It’s important to note that the NBA’s Board typically makes expansion decisions of Governors, and official announcements would come from the league itself. It should also be mentioned that expansion plans can change and are somewhat fluid. That is until the cities are officially announced. NBA Commissioner Adam Siver was on Sirius XM Radio recently and spoke about the league expanding.
“What we said, over the last few years, there are two things that we wanted to see happen first before we turned to expansion,” Silver said. “One was we wanted to get a new collective bargaining agreement done. We did that, and we have now labor peace and I think a very strong agreement for both the teams and the players in place till 2030. The other thing we said we wanted to get done is our new media deals. And our current national deals with ABC, ESPN, and then TNT go through the end of next season. And the reason we wanted to get those deals done, no secret, is we want to have a better understanding of what the economics would be going forward.”
-Adam Silver
It’s believed that expansion could happen in late 2024 or 2025. The league may consider factors such as market size, fan base, arena facilities, ownership groups, and overall viability of potential locations. It’s challenging to definitively identify the cities most likely to get an NBA team in the future.
These decisions are made by the NBA’s Board of Governors and are subject to various factors. However, certain cities have been frequently discussed and considered as potential candidates for expansion or relocation.
Here are the six most talked about cities for NBA expansion.
- Seattle, WA
- Seattle is the most populous metropolitan area and also the largest American media market without an NBA franchise. For years there has been a calling for the NBA to bring a team back to the Pacific Northwest, ever since the Seattle SuperSonics were relocated to Oklahoma City becoming the Thunder. That call has only grown louder since the NBA talked about expanding. The construction of a new arena and the city’s passionate basketball community contribute to the speculation around Seattle as a potential expansion location.
- Las Vegas, NV
- The city’s entertainment infrastructure, coupled with a strong tourism industry, makes it an attractive option for NBA expansion. Las Vegas is the city where every sports organization is looking to add a team. In 2021, Mayor Carolyn Goodman contacted NBA Commissioner Adam Silver about landing a team. The NHL and NFL already have teams in place and the MLB is on its way. Leaving the NBA as the only major sport not present.
- Vancouver, Canada
- Vancouver is the third-largest Canadian city and similar to Seattle, Vancouver had an NBA team (Grizzlies) that relocated to Memphis. There have been occasional discussions about the possibility of bringing an NBA team back to Vancouver. The city’s geographic location and basketball history make it a city of interest in expansion talks.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- The NBA has shown interest in expanding its global presence, and Mexico City has been mentioned as a possible international expansion location. Since 1992, the NBA Global Games have hosted NBA games in different places around the world. With a large population and a growing interest in basketball, Mexico City represents an opportunity to tap into the Latin American market. Getting a team here would make three countries with an NBA franchise.
- Nashville, TN
- Nashville has gained attention as a potential city for NBA expansion due to its growing sports market and passionate fan base. The city’s vibrant culture and increasing population have contributed to its appeal as a destination for professional sports teams. It would also mark the first-ever Midwest instate rivalry in the league.
- Louisville, KY
- Louisville is often mentioned as a potential city for NBA expansion or relocation. They’ve attempted to land a team multiple times, Buffalo Braves in 1978, Cleveland Cavaliers in 1983, and the Houston Rockets, Charlotte Hornets, and Vancouver Grizzles in the early 2000’s. The city has a strong basketball culture, and discussions about bringing a team to the city have gained traction in recent years. It could also bring the Indiana vs. Kentucky high school and college rivalry to the professional ranks.
NBA expansion protocol
The NBA has experienced expansion 11 different times in its history. There was also the the merger of the ABA and NBA in 1976 that brought four franchises, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, New York Nets (now Brooklyn), and San Antonio Spurs. The last time was in 2004 with the Charlotte Bobcats (now the Hornets) coming into existence. The handling of the expansion followed a set of processes and protocols, and here is a general overview of how the NBA handled the last expansion:
- Selection of the Expansion City:
- The NBA and potential ownership groups or cities express mutual interest in expansion. The league evaluates various factors, including market size, financial stability, and facility readiness.
- Approval by the NBA Board of Governors:
- The expansion proposal is presented to the NBA Board of Governors, which consists of team owners. Approval from a significant majority of the owners is required for expansion to proceed.
- Expansion Draft:
- An expansion draft is held to populate the roster of the new team(s). Existing teams are allowed to protect a certain number of players, and the new team(s) select players from the unprotected pool. This helps teams retain their core players.
- Compensation for Existing Teams:
- Existing teams may receive compensation for players lost in the expansion draft. This compensation can include draft picks, cash considerations, or other assets.
- Schedule Adjustment:
- The league may need to adjust the regular-season schedule to accommodate the new team(s). This includes considerations for travel logistics, divisional alignments, and conference structures.
- Financial Arrangements:
- The financial aspects of the expansion, such as revenue-sharing models and television rights deals, are discussed and may be adjusted to account for the increased number of teams.
- Market and Global Impact:
- The addition of new teams can impact the NBA’s market presence and global reach. Existing teams may need to adapt their marketing strategies and outreach efforts.
- Transition Period:
- A transition period allows the new team(s) to establish themselves in the league. It includes activities like hiring staff, marketing the team, and preparing for the upcoming season.
“Again, I made no secret out of it. Las Vegas is one of those markets we’re gonna look to. I know that the fans in Seattle have wanted us to get back there forever. No commitments, you know, to anyone. But we’ll certainly be looking at those two markets. At the same time, we want to be mindful of ensuring that our teams remain competitive. I think that had we expanded back a number of years ago, I think we may have seen more dilution. I think now when you think of the global pool of players, as we move towards 30% of NBA players who were born outside of the United States, including obviously some of our best, very best players in the league, you know, I think that as I said, the timing will work out when we’re done with our media deals and we start looking to expand, I think we could potentially add two more teams to this league that could be very competitive.”
-Adam Silver
As of right now, Seattle and Las Vegas appear to be the leading candidates to get an NBA team when the expansion comes to fruition. As previously stated, the thought is late 2024 or 2025 as to when the vote on expansion could take place. Then once the vote takes place it will take some time for the new franchises to get up and running. Regardless, expansion appears to be something that will be happening, it’s just a matter of how soon.