After almost two decades, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in December 2020 that the league was reconsidering expansion due to vacant facilities and growing club owner debts.
The last time the association added a team was in 2002, and due to the high costs involved, it has taken time to consider another one. Now, Seattle and Las Vegas are the rumored cities in the mix.
Last year, Adam Silver again said the NBA will think about adding more teams after the TV deal ends in 2025. There are two reasons for this: team values are increasing, and each current team could get over $300 million if two new teams are added, bringing in over $10 billion total.
Seattle has been an important market without an NBA team since the SuperSonics left in 2008, making it a strong contender for a new franchise. Climate Pledge Arena’s recent renovation also adds to its appeal. They are considering choosing Seattle, but it’s too early to say.
However, the Commissioner confirmed there’s still time to decide on expansion and how many teams might be added.
When can we expect the NBA to expand?
Since the WNBA has already started expanding, many believe the NBA will do the same soon. But the decision on NBA expansion won’t happen right away. Commissioner Adam Silver said the league will take its time to focus on this since they’re not quite ready.
Silver stated, “I think this fall, we will be full speed ahead in the decision-making process: do we need to expand, and if so, how many teams should we expand by.”
But, there is an expected timeline for the expansion. The league aims to add new teams by the 2027-28 season, but the process could begin as early as the 2026-27 season.
