"Next week, the NBA will hold a Board of Governors meeting to explore adding expansion teams in Las Vegas and Seattle. These teams could be part of the league as early as the start of the 2028-29 season. According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the process will include an initial vote where the league explores the purchase process for Las Vegas and Seattle. Then there will be another vote, the final vote, later this year to finalize the decision."
"The first is the success of other sports leagues in these cities, including the WNBA, NHL and NFL. The second reason is the wave of expansion happening across other leagues and the excitement it brings to both the sport and the city. Just look at the WNBA adding teams in Golden State, Toronto, Cleveland, and Portland over the last two years."
"The sale of the Los Angeles Lakers at $10 billion, the Boston Celtics at $6.1 billion, the Dallas Mavericks at $3.5 billion, and even a team like the Charlotte Hornets at $3 billion have proven that owning an NBA team is extremely valuable in 2026. So placing a team in either Vegas or Seattle represents significant financial opportunity."
The NBA is moving forward with expansion plans, scheduling a Board of Governors meeting to explore adding teams in Las Vegas and Seattle. An initial vote will examine the purchase process, followed by a final vote later in the year to finalize the decision. The league requires at least 23 of 30 governors to approve expansion. This timing reflects three key factors: successful sports operations in both cities by other leagues including the WNBA, NHL, and NFL; expansion momentum across sports leagues generating excitement; and record NBA team valuations, with recent sales demonstrating the significant financial value of franchise ownership in major markets.
Read at Bleacher Nation
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