NBA owners vote to explore Seattle, Las Vegas expansion bids

The NBA took its first official step toward adding two new franchises on Wednesday, when the league’s Board of Governors voted to authorize exploratory discussions for expansion teams in Seattle and Las Vegas. Commissioner Adam Silver framed the decision as a measured advance into markets the league has long viewed as viable.

“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,” Silver said in a statement released after the vote. “We look forward to taking this next step and engaging with interested parties.”

While the resolution does not guarantee that either city will ultimately receive a franchise, it opens a formal process for prospective ownership groups to submit bids. Industry estimates place the price of an expansion team between $7 billion and $10 billion, a range that would shatter previous records for North American sports franchises.

Seattle last hosted NBA basketball in 2008, when the SuperSonics relocated to Oklahoma City after arena negotiations collapsed. Las Vegas, which has never had an NBA franchise, has rapidly emerged as a major sports destination, already supporting the NFL’s Raiders and the NHL’s Golden Knights. Major League Baseball’s Oakland Athletics are also scheduled to relocate to the city in the coming years.

If the league proceeds, the two new clubs would likely begin play in the 2028-29 season, representing the NBA’s first expansion since the Charlotte Bobcats joined the league in 2004. Geographically, both markets sit in the Western Conference footprint, prompting expectations that either the Minnesota Timberwolves or the Memphis Grizzlies would shift east to maintain 16 teams in each conference.

The coming months will focus on vetting potential investors, assessing market readiness, and negotiating arena deals, with no firm deadline set for a final decision.